Tripoli -

The Libyan House of Representatives' step of no confidence in the National Unity Government headed by Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba has sparked controversy and mixed reactions in the country.

Representatives - who attended the parliament session in Tobruk - questioned the votes that were registered to withdraw confidence from the government, after Parliament spokesman Abdullah Blihaq announced that 89 out of 113 MPs voted to withdraw confidence.

In his first comment after the withdrawal of confidence, Abdul Hamid al-Dabaiba affirmed his determination to proceed to accomplish what his government came for, adding, "We still say no to war and division and yes to elections and a prosperous Libya."

Dabaiba urged his supporters to demonstrate on Friday, in opposition to the House of Representatives' decision to withdraw confidence from the government.

"The parliament will fall and there will be no parliament that expresses the people in this way," he said.

For his part, Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh accused the national unity government of not implementing the entitlements entrusted to it.

He said that the government spent about 84 billion dinars in a period of time not exceeding 6 months.

In an interview with Al-Hadath TV, the media arm of Major General Khalifa Haftar, Saleh opposed the government's signing of long-term contracts with foreign countries, including contracts estimated at 85 billion dinars, in reference to the agreements signed two days ago with Egypt.


specific tasks

Member of Parliament, Suleiman al-Faqih, played down the effect of the withdrawal of confidence, "because it will continue as a caretaker government, and it should pay more attention to the needs of the Libyans and get the country to the elections on schedule," according to him.

Al-Faqih told Al-Jazeera Net that "changing it to a caretaker government will push it to take care of internal affairs and not foreign trips, and the ill-considered deals that future governments may suffer from for many years."

MP Al-Faqih said that Prime Minister Dabaiba "was the one who made the House of Representatives in the person of Aguila Saleh, and gave him all confidence and concessions, ignoring the members of the House who were meeting in Tripoli."

In the context of the reasons for the no-confidence in his belief, Al-Faqih says that the prime minister made many promises that do not build a nation.

He added that the Speaker of Parliament and some of its members rushed to judge the government, "but at the same time, everyone knows that it has suspicions of corruption and must be held accountable."

Al-Faqih added, "I do not think that the person who removed the custody of the funds of former officials in the Gaddafi regime is of interest to the Libyan people, and everyone knows the danger of lifting the custody of these funds," referring to Dabaiba.

vote fraud

In turn, a member of the House of Representatives, Ali Al-Takali, said that the process of withdrawing confidence from the government "was rigged when counting the votes, which is an ill-considered act that is not in the interest of Libya."

Al-Takali added - in a statement to Al-Jazeera Net - that "the process of withdrawing confidence did not reach the specified quorum, which is 87 members, and those who voted are 70 deputies from those present at the session."

Al-Takalli believes that the reliance was on the national unity government to end the division and reach the electoral maturity at the end of next December.

He added that "the attempt to obstruct the government from performing its duties comes from the desire of some parties to continue the conflict."

Al-Takali called on the unity government to continue its work and provide services to all Libyans.

He stressed the need for the matter to stop at this point, and not to resort to other steps that might confuse the scene again.

Legitimate decision

In turn, House of Representatives member Muhammad Al-Abani described the withdrawal of confidence as a "legitimate decision" taken by the Libyan House of Representatives based on Article 194 of the internal system promulgated by Law No. 4 of 2014.

In Al-Abani's opinion, the withdrawal of confidence in terms of timing was not a successful step for the House of Representatives, "even though it has the right to take it, but the remaining period for the benefits that the Libyan people desire - which are the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections - is few."

He added to Al Jazeera Net, "I voted to object to the withdrawal of confidence from the government, but this is the decision of the House of Representatives and it is a correct procedure, and whoever objects to it may appeal the decision."

Al-Abani considered that the House of Representatives should have created the conditions to reach the presidential and parliamentary elections on time, by issuing a law to elect the House of Representatives, and demarcating electoral districts, instead of withdrawing confidence from the government.