Libyan parliament selects Fathi Bashagha as new prime minister

CAIRO – 10 February 2022: The Libyan House of Representatives announced Thursday the selection of Fathi Bashagha, who served as minister of interior at the Government of National Accord (GNA) that left power in January 2021, as prime minister.

The incumbent prime minister is Abdel Hamid al-Dbeiba, who is heading the Government of National Unity (GNU). The GNU is an interim government that was elected by an UN-backed committee encompassing representatives of the Libyan people, and that took office in January 2021.

According to the roadmap adopted by that committee, presidential and parliamentary elections should have been held on December 24. However, they were postponed after the number of candidates running for president had amounted to 65.

The GNU succeeded the GNA that was formed in 2014 per Skhirat Agreement, a transitional plan, and that was supposed to hand over power in 2017. But, the lack of national congruence inhibited holding elections.

The Tripoli-based GNA was controlling western Libya through militias, while the House of Representatives - based in Tobruk - was controlling eastern Libya through the Libyan National Army (LNA) – based in Benghazi - and a government it had formed.

The GNU was supposed to rule from Sirte, located in central Libya, as a sign of unifying the country, for the first time since the assassination of former Libyan President Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011. Nevertheless, it has been operating from the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

Further, "Dbeibah, has said he does not recognise the parliament's attempt to remove him, that his government remains valid and that he will not step down," as reporter by Reuters.