The Libyan Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha, announced that he has started consultations to form the next government, while the spokesman for the Libyan National Unity Government, Muhammad Hammouda, confirmed that the government enjoys legal legitimacy locally and internationally and will continue in its duties until the handover of power to an elected government.

Bashagha said that he has started consultations to form the next government with all Libyan parties, noting that he will present the formation of the new Libyan government to the House of Representatives on the specified date.

He stressed that the elections will be held on time, and also renewed his commitment not to run for the upcoming presidential elections in Libya.

On the other hand, the spokesman for the Libyan National Unity Government, Muhammad Hammouda, said in a blog post on his official Facebook page on Sunday evening, that the competence of the House of Representatives according to the road map is to give confidence to the ministerial formation and not to specify the prime minister’s mandate.

He stressed that the procedure for withdrawing confidence from the government is limited by the political agreement with the approval of the Supreme Council of State - an advisory body stemming from the 2015 political agreement - and the vote of 120 members of the House of Representatives, which did not happen, according to the spokesman for the Dabaiba government.

In this context, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, stressed on Sunday the need to complete the road map approved in Geneva.

During a meeting in Tripoli with the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Libya Stephanie Williams, Dabaiba stressed the responsibility of all parties to create the conditions for holding elections and holding a referendum on the constitution.

After the approval of the House of Representatives, which was held in the city of Tobruk (eastern Libya), the former Minister of Interior, Fathi Bashagha, nominated a new prime minister. The month announced a plan to hold legislative elections and a referendum on the constitution in June.

The choice of Pashaga to form a new government sparked a crisis of legitimacy, and a split emerged between opponents and supporters of this step, and the President of the Supreme Council of State, Khaled Al-Mashri, considered Saturday that the term of the national unity government ended on December 24, but the Council issued a statement on Sunday evening saying that it will take A position on changing the Prime Minister during an official session.


government formation

Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha said on Sunday that he discussed in Tripoli with UN official Stephanie Williams ways to form a government in a transparent and fair manner, in a way that guarantees broad political participation and preserves the political process.

He also stressed his keenness on stabilizing the security situation, and adhering to the constitutional frameworks and timelines set for holding the presidential and parliamentary elections.

For her part, the UN envoy stressed the need to continue focusing on holding what she described as free, fair and inclusive national elections as soon as possible.

The United Nations had said earlier that it still supported the current Libyan unity government.

Tripoli witnessed the deployment of military forces in light of the current state of political tension (Reuters)

Tension in Tripoli

The UN official's talks with both Dabaiba and Bashagha came in light of security tension in the capital, Tripoli, following the deployment of military forces.

Al-Jazeera correspondent reported the influx of armed forces affiliated with the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army from Misurata and other cities.

Sources told Al Jazeera that this mobilization aims to control security and stability in Tripoli, and to confront any aggravation of the situation due to political developments.

Armed forces affiliated with the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army confirmed their rejection of the measures taken by the House of Representatives to appoint Fathi Bashagha as Prime Minister, and demanded in a statement issued not to extend the parliament and the Supreme Council of the State.

These forces stressed the necessity of submitting the draft constitution to a referendum, and holding parliamentary elections no later than next June.