Libya Congress To Vote After Renegade General #39;s Threat
Libya #39;s parliament on Sunday prepared to vote under heavy security to approve a new government a week after forces loyal to a renegade former general attacked the congress to demand lawmakers...
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Libya Congress To Vote After Renegade General's Threat - Video
AL MASDAR`s STAND, LIBYA BUILD 2014
HB GROUP DESIGN CONSTRUCTION DIVISION.
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AL MASDAR`s STAND, LIBYA BUILD 2014 - Video
By Jomana Karadsheh, CNN
updated 11:16 PM EDT, Sun May 25, 2014
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Tripoli (CNN) -- Libya's interim parliament Sunday approved a new government, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Mitig, in a controversial vote that threatens to deepen the country's political and security crisis.
A total of 83 of 93 members present voted in favor of Mitig's government.
Lawmakers in the Islamist-dominated General National Congress (GNC) defied a threat issued by militias allied with renegade general Khalifa Haftar, who promised to storm, raid and arrest members.
The threat was issued by the same group that attacked the GNC headquarters in Tripoli last week, triggering fighting across the capital that left at least four people dead and dozens injured.
Shortly before the vote in parliament, the EU's special envoy to Libya described the situation as the country's worst crisis since 2011.
"This is the worst crisis Libya has known since the war. Political forces should understand the anxiety of the Libyan people, who expect effective solutions for their daily concerns and problems," Bernardino Leon told reporters.
Leon called on politicians to work inclusively and democratically for a political road map and to "enable peaceful early parliamentary elections."
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Libya's parliament approves new government
By Jomana Karadsheh, CNN
May 26, 2014 -- Updated 0316 GMT (1116 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Tripoli (CNN) -- Libya's interim parliament Sunday approved a new government, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Mitig, in a controversial vote that threatens to deepen the country's political and security crisis.
A total of 83 of 93 members present voted in favor of Mitig's government.
Lawmakers in the Islamist-dominated General National Congress (GNC) defied a threat issued by militias allied with renegade general Khalifa Haftar, who promised to storm, raid and arrest members.
The threat was issued by the same group that attacked the GNC headquarters in Tripoli last week, triggering fighting across the capital that left at least four people dead and dozens injured.
Shortly before the vote in parliament, the EU's special envoy to Libya described the situation as the country's worst crisis since 2011.
"This is the worst crisis Libya has known since the war. Political forces should understand the anxiety of the Libyan people, who expect effective solutions for their daily concerns and problems," Bernardino Leon told reporters.
Leon called on politicians to work inclusively and democratically for a political road map and to "enable peaceful early parliamentary elections."
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Libya defies renegade general
TRIPOLI, Libya Libya's embattled parliament approved Sunday an Islamist-backed government despite boycotts from non-Islamists and threats from a renegade general who considers the chamber illegitimate.
Lawmakers said the government of Ahmed Maiteg passed with a majority vote, with 83 out of 93 present in the session voting in favor.
The parliament session was held amid tight security in a palace east of the capital after the renegade general's forces said that the legitimacy of the parliament has expired. A spokesman for Gen. Khalifa Hifter had threatened Saturday to attack the parliament session if it convened.
Hifter has launched an armed campaign he said is aimed at imposing stability after three years of chaos since the ouster and death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. He said he wants to break the power of Islamists who lead the parliament, whom he accuses opening the door to Islamic radicals.
It has been the biggest challenge yet to the country's weak central government and fledgling security forces. The vote Sunday is unlikely to break the standoff between the renegade general's forces and the Islamists and allied militia who called his moves a "coup."
Hifter's campaign, while plunging Libya deeper into uncertainty, has also been winning support from several prominent government officials, diplomats, and military units who have sided with him against the Islamists both among the militias and in parliament. Thousands of residents went out in support of his campaign on Friday in different Libyan cities.
Last week, militia allied with Hifter stormed and ransacked the parliament building in Tripoli, declaring the body suspended. Two days later, some lawmakers tried to hold a session at an alternative location to vote on a new prime minister, but came under rocket fire, effectively ending the session.
Despite the attack, the parliament convened days later but failed to win approval for Maiteg's government because of an insufficient quorum.
"Today we waited until we had quorum and the majority voted for Maiteg's government," said lawmaker Mohammed Margham, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood bloc in parliament.
Margham said those who boycotted the session wanted to "obstruct the democratic process." He also called Hifter's threat to the parliament "a criminal act."
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Libya's parliament approves Islamist-backed government