According to a spokesperson for the Libyan parliament, the vote on Tuesday to replace Fathi Bashagha as prime minister came after Bashagha was unable to take office in Tripoli due to the current prime minister’s refusal, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah.
According to Parliament spokesperson Abdullah Belhaiq, Bashagha’s finance minister Osama Hamad has been assigned to take over his responsibilities as part of a renewed effort to depose Dbeibah and install a new government in Tripoli.
Bashagha was appointed in March 2022, but due to fighting between factions loyal to him and others loyal to Dbeibah, he has been operating outside of Tripoli without control of state finances.
In a letter sent to lawmakers on Tuesday, he said he was handing over his responsibilities to Ali Qatrani, but he didn’t say whether he planned to return to his post. Bashagha is currently on personal leave, according to those close to him.
Other lawmakers have disputed parliamentary authorities’ announcements of votes and other actions, claiming that Speaker Aguila Saleh is attempting to force policies through without following the proper channels. These allegations have been refuted by Saleh.
Despite a ceasefire in 2020, Libya has seen little peace since the NATO-backed uprising against Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and the country split in 2014 between warring eastern and western factions.
Critics see its a stalling tactic to avoid being deposed.
Elections were scheduled for 2021 after Dbeibah’s government was installed through a United Nations-backed process, but they were canceled due to rules disagreements.
The current diplomatic effort is aimed at reaching an agreement on rules that would allow elections to take place between the parliament and another legislative body, the High State Council.
However, prominent lawmakers have advocated for a new interim government to be in place before any election, which their critics see as a stalling tactic to avoid being deposed.
Opponents of Dbeibah may be hoping to gain access to state funds and power by deposing Bashagha and gaining support from other western Libyan factions.
The decision to replace Bashagha by Parliament was deemed a “political absurdity” by the High State Council, which had never recognized his appointment.
