Libya Watch
May 27, 2022
Prime minister-designate Mr Bashagha has spoken out after the events that took place earlier in May of 2022. He has stated that he will not enter the Capitol of Tripoli unless the conditions are 100% favourable.
Despite this tensions are rising in Libya as there seems to be a possibility of an armed conflict, due to the armed vehicles spotted in Tripoli. Allegedly words were chanted against Mr. Dbiebah.
May 18, 2022
On the evening of the 17th of May 2022 Fathi Bashagha the Libyan Prime Minister selected by the country’s parliament secretly entered the Capital in Tripoli and tried to take control. He left the capital promptly.
There have been several responses to this news. The Government of National Unity condemns these act as well as the Ya Biladi Party. A campaign has also been launched by The Association Of Guardians Of The Victims Of Tripoli’s Invasion which demand an arrest for the acts committed by Mr. Bashagha.
March 29, 2022
Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha has started the steps towards assuming power but states that his government will only be seated in Tripoli.
March 23, 2022
The Libyan Prime Minister-designate, Mr. Fathi Bashagha, warned Tuesday in a statement all government institutions against implementing the orders of PM Abdul Hamid Dbiebah of the Government of National Unity. With these instructions government institutions are asked to disregard all government instructions made by Mr. Dbiebah.
Mr. Bashagha stated that the unity government is now a caretaker government whose legal mandate has ended.
February 21, 2022
The member of the House of Representatives (HoR), Salem Gunidi, the HoR is waiting for the new prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, to brief them on his proposed cabinet before they summon the Parliament for a vote of confidence. It has now been more than a week since Mr. Bashagha was appointed and was supposed to prepare its government by last Friday.
It is expected that the HoR will summon a session next week Monday or Tuesday.
Mr. al-Dbeibahhas revealed a new political Road Map for the holding of the postponed elections. The Road Map will be given in the next two days.
Last week Mr. al-Dbeibah had already proposed launching an electronic voting system as a political consultation on the situation in Libya. However, some believed that the database first has to be upgraded.
February 11, 2022
At its session the House of Representatives (HoR) unanimously appointed a new Prime Minister, namely Fathi Bashagha. He is to replace the current prime minister Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh. Mr. Bashagha has one week to prepare its government and present it to the However, Mr. al-Dbeibeh does not recognize the moves made by the HoR and refuses to hand over it’s power until a national election has been done.
Due to this the United Nations efforts to reconcile the divided country has been troubled since this might lead to a conflict or even two parallel administrations.
On this day the HoR also approved the 12th Constitutional Amendment that now is enshrined in the 2011 Transitional Constitutional Constitution of Libya. This Amendment creates a committee of 24 experts that will propose a new draft constitution to replace the current one.
January 28, 2022
During House of Representatives' (HoR) session in Tobruk on Wednesday, chaired by Speaker Ageela Saleh, 13 conditions were set for candidates wishing to stand for the post of Libya’s next Prime Minister. An unusually high number of 120 members attended yesterday’s session according to the HoR’s Official Spokesperson Abdalla Belheeg. The 13 conditions are:
- The candidate must be a Libyan and a Muslim of Libyan Muslim parents.
- The candidate must not hold the nationality of another country.
- The candidate must not be married to a non-Libyan.
- The candidate must not be less than 35 years old at the time of candidacy.
- The candidate must have at least a university degree or its equivalent from an accredited university.
- The candidate must submit a certificate of good conduct and behavior.
- The candidate must not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or dishonesty.
- The candidate must be healthy enough to carry out his duties.
- The candidate must submit a written pledge not to run for the upcoming elections.
- The candidate must submit his resignation (of his current job) before candidacy according to the laws regulating the work of the candidate.
- The candidate must obtain the recommendation of 25 members of the House of Representatives.
- The candidate must submit a financial disclosure statement.
- Any other conditions stipulated in the laws and legislation that are in force
January 24, 2022
On Saturday, more than 60 MPs issued a statement supporting the continuation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, with a ministerial reshuffle that allows it to enforce its authority in all Libyan territories. This statement was signed by 62 deputies and suggested giving Dbeibah the right to select his Cabinet while committing to representing all regions and taking responsibility for his choices. As per the statement, the government should agree with the Presidential Council to make a ministerial reshuffle and agree with the warlord Khalifa Haftar, represented in the so-called "General Command in Cyrenaica," to ensure the success of the military institution. The government shall have a lifespan of two additional years commencing from the date of the agreement or until elections are held, provided that the countries of Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar oversee the agreement between the legislative and executive authorities. This initiative came just hours after Dbeibah met with several MPs in Tripoli.
On the same day, the European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its readiness to provide the necessary support at this critical juncture in Libya, stating the importance to hold free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections in the country. Luis Bueno, an EU spokesperson in the Middle East and North Africa, said in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper Cairo 24, where he reiterated that strengthening dialogue among all actors in Libya was a necessary basis for building an effective political roadmap that could maintain stability and unity in Libya. He said that the EU needs to see a concrete implementation of the action plan approved by the (5+5) Joint Military Commission on the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign forces. He also referred to the EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell's confirmation to the Deputy Head of the Presidential Council, Mossa Al-Koni, during the latter's visit to Brussels, that the EU continues its support for the efforts to achieve the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries. Meanwhile, the EU confirmed earlier that it would impose sanctions on officials and institutions that seek to obstruct elections and the peaceful transfer of power in Libya.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Stephanie Williams, the UN Advisor on Libya, said in a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Aqila Saleh, that a solution for the crisis of legitimacy in Libya can only occur through elections, adding that Libyans want an end to the transitional period. She asked all parties to focus on the election process, transitional justice, and national reconciliation, urging all HoR members to attend the Monday session and take up their responsibilities toward the Libyan people by setting a new clear date for elections. Later on Twitter, she added, "My meeting with Saleh came before the Monday session where the roadmap committee is expected to present its first report on the future of elections."
The presidential race is a new event in Libya different from the parliamentary elections, says the High Council of State (HCS) Head, Khaled Al-Mishri, who noted that the Council predicted from an early stage that the presidential elections would be a failure. He said those who believed in the success of the elections in such circumstances have misread the Libyan scene, insisting that the reasons that led to their failure must be addressed."Holding fair and transparent elections is possible, provided that they take place on a sound constitutional basis with minimized risks," Al-Mishri said, adding that the Libyans practiced democracy in the 2012 elections in full transparency. He believes the participation of controversial figures such as Khalifa Haftar and Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is one of the several reasons for the election being postponed.