Libya

World body says process that saw Fathi Bashagha elected as new PM ‘fell short of expected standards’.

Libyan lawmakers confirmed a new transitional government Tuesday, a move that is likely to lead to parallel administrations and fuel mounting tensions in a country that has been mired in conflict for the past decade.

Prime Minister of the government of national unity (GNU) Abdul Hamid Debaibah says he would only hand over power to an authority "elected by the people."

Moscow is throwing its support behind new Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha and its belief that he can "unite Libyan society."

The spokesman for the Government of National Unity, Mohammed Hammouda, criticized Thursday the position of the Advisor of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Stephanie Williams, saying that her support for the stances of certain parties which are wishing to postpone elections and extend their mandates contradicted her statements in support of holding elections as soon as possible in Libya.

Libya was supposed to hold elections early this year. Instead, it now has two rival political administrations — a return of the divisions of the past.

The UN chief is “following closely” the latest political crisis unfolding in Libya, which threatens to return the country to a stand-off position between two rival authorities, following the failure to hold presidential elections in December.

Libya found itself with two prime ministers Thursday, after its parliament named a rival to replace the existing unity government's chief Abdulhamid Dbeibah, threatening a new power struggle in the war-torn nation.

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah was apparently on his way home when his vehicle was reportedly attacked in the early morning. The reports came ahead of a parliament vote to replace him.

The current prime minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeiba, rejected Parliament’s decision, raising concerns that the oil-rich African nation was returning to a divide with two rival governments.