Libya: new Prime Minister Bachagha struggles to impose himself on Dbeibah, outgoing head of government

The Parliament of Tripoli during a parliamentary session (December 2015).

© AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD TURKIA

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

In Libya, the declarations of the new Prime Minister Fathi Bachagha affirming that he would enter the capital within two days raised many questions.

How does he intend to enter Tripoli and what plan does he have to get there, wonder the Libyans who fear that the country will sink once again into a new war.

During the last hours, contacts have multiplied, at several levels, to convince Abdelhamid Dbeibah to leave power peacefully, which he still refuses. 

Advertising

Read more

Outgoing Prime Minister

is on high alert.

To keep his place, he allowed himself everything: kidnapping and assaulting ministers appointed to the

government , closing the airspace in order to prevent them from moving, and this in violation of the political agreement and finally, distributing enormous sums of money to the militias who are willing to support it, such as this new politico-military formation called the Constitution and Elections Defense Force, which has been traveling the streets of the capital for several days in armed vehicles.

►

: in Libya, tensions between the two Prime Ministers continue

For several observers, Bachagha, the Prime Minister designated by Parliament, must quickly break Dbeibah's alliances and use his strong relations with the imposing forces based on the ground in the west of the country, in order to contain the escalation that looms.

It must also use its influence with members of the international community.

Faced with the struggle between the two executives, this community has adopted an ambiguous position which does not facilitate Bachagha's task, reports

of the Africa service.

This is the case of the United States and the European Union, which limit themselves to calling for calm and for Tripoli to guarantee deliveries of Libyan oil and gas, especially after the crisis with Russia.

►

: in Libya, the struggle for power intensifies

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• Libya