In the wake of an attempt to oust Parliament, Libya’s belligerent Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said that if he was replaced, it could trigger war in the North African country.
Dbeibah spoke to Libyans late Monday, reiterating his insistence that he will only hand over power to an elected government. He drew up a seemingly unrealistic plan to hold elections in June.
Already plagued by divisions between rival administrations in the East and the West, Libya has found itself with two rival prime ministers in Tripoli after missing a crucial deadline for elections in December.
Dbeibah called all efforts to install an interim government “careless” and a “farce” that could lead to more war. He was referring to ongoing efforts by the House of Representatives to confirm a new transitional government led by Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha.
“I will not accept, whatever the form, to hand over (power) to chaos,” he said. A choice, he said, “is the only solution.”
The effort to replace Dbeibah stems from Libya’s failure to hold its first presidential election under his supervision. It has been a major blow to international efforts to end a decade of chaos in the oil-rich Mediterranean nation.
The presidential vote was originally scheduled for December 24, but it was postponed due to disputes between rival factions over election law and controversial presidential hopes. Lawmakers have argued that the mandate of the Dbeibah government expired on December 24.
The Eastern-based parliament earlier this month appointed Bashagha, a powerful former interior minister from the western city of Misrata, to form a new interim government. He must hand over his cabinet to Parliament this week. Bashagha’s appointment was part of a roadmap to determine elections within the next 14 months.
In an eight-page speech on Monday night, Dbeibah mentioned “war” or “war” eight times. He described Parliament’s action as a “failed maneuver” that would trigger “war and chaos.”
Dbeibah said he began negotiations with his rivals to ward off the current stalemate, but his efforts failed. He accused a rival, Putist General Khalifa Haftar, of igniting “political chaos” in the country.
There was no immediate comment from Haftar, who led a failed offensive to capture Tripoli’s capital in 2019 from rival militias.
United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday that the UN’s message is “that Libyan leaders should make decisions by consensus, establish frameworks, and also keep in mind the best interests of the Libyan people, especially those who took the courageous steps to sign up to vote. “
He said that Stephanie Williams, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Libya, was continuing consultations with Libyan parties and other key players and was in Tunis on Monday and met with some ambassadors.
Dbeibah, who, like Bashagha, comes from Misrata, proposed a four-point plan to hold a simultaneous parliamentary vote and a referendum on constitutional amendments at the end of June. It would be followed by a presidential election after the new parliament created a permanent constitution. He offered no time frame for the presidential election.
In an attempt to court Libyans who are tired of war and chaos, Dbeibah appealed for what he called a “true national movement” to push for elections.
Anas el-Gomati, head of the Libyan think tank Sadeq Institute, said Dbeibah’s roadmap reflects the deep political dispute. It is primarily intended to remove the speaker of the powerful parliament, Aguila Saleh, he said. Saleh is one of Dbeibah’s toughest rivals and the main force behind replacing his government.
“If Bashagha tries to force through another parallel administration, allied with Haftar, war could break out (and) it would further delay the elections,” he said.
Libya has not been able to hold elections since its disputed legislative vote in 2014, which led to the county being divided for several years between rival administrations, each with the support of armed militias and foreign governments.
The oil-rich North African nation has been embroiled in conflict since the NATO-backed uprising was overthrown and has long killed dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The Daily Sabah newsletter
Stay up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, its region and the world.
WRITE ME UP
You can cancel the subscription anytime. By registering, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This website is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google’s privacy policy and terms of use apply.
