Fathi Bashagha hopes to assume power peacefully

The election of a new prime minister threatens to aggravate the unstable climate that has prevailed in Libya since 2011. Last February, the parliament appointed Fathi Bashagha to the post. Bashagha has solid experience in government, having served as interior minister in the Government of National Accord, led by Fayez al-Sarraj, between 2018 and 2021.  

Last Tuesday, he presented to the House of Representatives his new cabinet consisting of three deputy prime ministers, six secretaries of state and more than 20 deputies. The ceremony took place in the eastern city of Tobruk and was approved by 92 of the 101 legislators present.  

Since the parliament began the process of finding a new leader, Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, head of the current interim government of National Unity, has expressed his rejection, considering the votes to have been "blatantly fraudulent". He said he would not step down until an electoral process that would allow the Libyan people to elect him in a democratic manner took place.  

Dbeibé was appointed prime minister last year as part of a Western-backed political process. His main task was to lead a deeply divided country towards reconciliation and national unity. Elections, which should have been held in December 2021, were the final date of his mandate. 

The collapse of those polls was motivated by disputes over ground rules. Libya has been adrift ever since. It has no unified government, divisions between rival factions are intensifying and fears of renewed fighting between different armed groups are growing. 

However, Bashagha's words are clear: "there will be no use of force". The politician assures that the changeover will go smoothly and normally. For his part, the interim prime minister accuses parliament of sabotaging the elections. "What they called a government will never work in reality and will not take place," he said in his latest speech. 

Both sides blame and accuse each other of lacking legitimacy. Dbeibé flatly rejects the parliamentary position and wants to hold national elections in June. He has also taken a series of ill-advised decisions in recent weeks to prevent a change of government. Among them, he has put pressure on the Council of State. 

Armed forces from Misrata, Khoms and Zlitan gathered last weekend in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli to show their support for the National Unity Government. The move to the capital came after the issuance of an order to "secure the seat of government and other key locations in the Libyan capital".  

The citizens of the Maghreb country bemoan the stalemate and fear that the existence of two parallel governments will further sink their nation. Ayat al-Badri, a candidate in the legislative elections, rejects the parliament's decision as "out of line". He also laments the monopolisation of the political arena. 

The news portal AfricaNews also reports the testimony of Omran Abuzeid Abusahman, a self-employed businessman. Abusahman recalls that for more than six years, two cabinets had already coexisted. "Now we don't accept that there are two administrations, but in the end, there may be separation and division again". 

The United Nations has expressed concern that the vote carried out by the Libyan parliament does not meet expectations. The spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the reports do not respect previously established rules of transparency and procedure.  

The organisation's special adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, hopes to hold talks with parliament and the High Council of State soon. "I am here to support the electoral process and the aspirations of 2.8 million Libyans [...] I reiterate the fundamental importance of preserving security, stability and unity, and to refrain from acts of provocative escalation," she added on her Twitter account.