On Saturday, a total of 65 MP’s in Libya called on the Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh to hold a plenary hearing session for the Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha. This is to explain the reasons behind his government’s failure to assume its duties in the capital, Tripoli.
In a letter addressed to Saleh, the MP’s called for “a complete cabinet reshuffle of the Libyan government, not exceeding 15 ministries, so as not to burden the state with additional expenses. This also will be an opportunity to reunite the national consensus on one government, across the country.”
In May 2022, Bashagha decided to base his administration in Sirte, after an abortive bid to take the capital Tripoli by force, and unseat the incumbent government of Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.
Libya has had two rival administrations since March 2022, when the Bashagha was appointed, despite Dbaiba claiming the move was illegitimate, and refusing to step aside.
In September, Bashagha vowed in a speech that his government’s “work is for the benefit of all Libyans, not a specific region.”
He admitted that his government had failed to enter Tripoli because it “does not want blood and did not fire a single shot.” He explained that he will “exert efforts to liberate the western region, and help them, and support them in all sectors until we control the country,” without specifying the means by which this control will be achieved.
Bashagha said that “there are some Libyans who want chaos and divisions in the country to continue, and see this as their interest.” He added that “there is a regional and international tendency that does not want Libyans to reach consensus or reconciliation, but rather to use Libya as a card to negotiate for other interests.”