News / North Africa

New unity government to be proposed in ten days in Libya

Tuesday, 26 January 2016 2:23 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 26 January 2016 5:20 PM ]

Libyan Prime Minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj (2nd R) is seen during a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (unseen) in talks between EU and Libya delegations, in Tunis, Tunisia, January 8, 2016. (AFP Photo)

A new unity government is to be proposed in ten days in Libya after the internationally recognized parliament rejected the initial lineup.

Prime Minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj will present the new cabinet at the request of the parliament, which had criticized the first one as too large, said Fathi Ben Issa, adviser to the unity government, on Tuesday. “We will respect the deadline of ten days.”

The internationally recognized parliament based in Tobruk voted on Monday against the initial ministers of the UN-backed unity government.

Eighty-nine out of 104 members of parliament who attended the Monday session rejected the cabinet formed by the UN-sponsored unity Presidential Council (PC).

Libya currently has two rival governments and parliaments.

The unity government was announced on January 19 to bridge a political divide that has undermined the fight against terrorist groups.

Militants affiliated with the Takfiri Daesh terrorists are also present in the country, making efforts to gather local support.

The file photo purportedly shows militants from the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group parading on a road in eastern Libya. (AFP photo)

Libya has been grappling with violence and political uncertainty since the oil-rich country’s former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, was deposed and later killed in 2011.

After fierce rivalry between militant groups in the country, the Libya Dawn faction took control of the capital, Tripoli, in July 2014. They established their own government in the city, whereas the internationally-recognized government of Libya was based in the eastern cities of Bayda and Tobruk.

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