In this file photo taken on April 15, 2021, Libya's Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah speaks with the Russian foreign minister during their meeting in Moscow. (YURI KOCHETKOV / POOL / AFP)
TRIPOLI – The Libyan House of Representatives, or parliament, on Tuesday granted confidence to a new government to replace the current Government of National Unity led by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah.
"The House of Representatives unanimously granted confidence to the new government, with a majority of 92 votes," the parliament spokesperson Abdullah Blehig said in a statement.
The 101-seat Libyan parliament withdrew confidence from Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah's government in September last year and kept it as a caretaker government. On Feb 10, it unanimously voted to appoint Fathi Bashagha, former interior minister, as the new prime minister
The 101-seat Libyan parliament withdrew confidence from Dbeibah's government in September last year and kept it as a caretaker government. On Feb 10, it unanimously voted to appoint Fathi Bashagha, former interior minister, as the new prime minister.
But Dbeibah vowed his government will remain in office until an elected government is established. On Feb 21, he announced a plan to hold general elections in June.
Dbeibah's government also accused the House of Representatives of approving the new government "without achieving quorum" during the session, vowing its continued work to prepare for the elections.
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General elections in Libya had been scheduled for Dec 24 last year, but were postponed indefinitely due to technical and legal issues, according to the country's elections commission.
Meanwhile, Bashagha said his newly approved government would seek to achieve reconciliation and stability in the North African country, according to Bashagha's information office.
"The most important things we seek today is reconciliation, participation and stability, so that we can move to prosperity, well-being and development," Bashagha was quoted as saying by his information office in a speech.
A file photo taken on July 28, 2020 shows Fathi Bashagha, then interior minister of Libya, addressing a press conference at the Tajura Training Institute, southeast of the GNA-held capital Tripoli. (MAHMUD TURKIA / AFP)
"I am not here for retaliation. Instead, I came to build this country, which needs everybody. I reach out to everybody, including the opponents, because I am responsible for serving all the Libyan people without exception," he added.
Bashagha also pledged his commitment to holding elections according to the roadmap approved in February by the House of Representatives, or the parliament, and expressed the hope to cooperate with the UN Support Mission in Libya in achieving reconciliation, holding elections, adopting a constitution, and unifying the state's institutions.
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The prime minister-designate confirmed that his government would assume office peacefully and that necessary legal and administrative arrangements have been taken.
