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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 20 May 2014
There was confusion today over reports that 25 June had been announced for . . .[restrict]elections to the new House of Representatives, replacing the General National Congress.
The Libya news agency Lana reported that the Higher National Elections Commission (HNEC) had set the date. However, this was despite an earlier HNEC statement that national elections to a new legislature would be logistically impossible before August. The HNEC later said 25 June was just one of a number of dates it was considering.
Despite some media reports, the decision as to when to hold the vote was not made at the General National Congress (GNC) which today met in secret. Congress was supposed to consider the items which remained on its agenda following Sunday’s attacks on its buildings: a vote on the government of Ahmed Maetig and the passing of a budget for 2014. However, not enough members attended its session in the Mahari Radisson Blu Hotel for a quorum on the vote. Only 95 members were present out of a required 101.
GNC member for Murzuk, Taher Kanah Makni, told the Libya Herald that he attended the session but left soon after it became clear not enough members would arrive for the vote.
Benghazi Congressman Ahmed Langhi said he, like many other members from the east, had been unable to attend the session because of the closure of Benina Airport.
Congressman Abdullah El Kabier said that he had not attended the vote but did not doubt there would be later discussions in the GNC on the current political impasse. He said he himself had become disillusioned with Congress’ infighting and felt that it had become the source of many problems. Kabier said he hoped these problems could be resolved peacefully.
Ahmed Maetig, whose election to the post of Prime Minister at the beginning of this month is contested by many members of Congress, today asked the GNC for anther ten days to propose a new government. The request appeared to contradict rumours that he was reconsidering his acceptance of the premiership in light of recent violence, although he had said a week ago that he would have a government ready within seven days.
His decision to form a new cabinet without a second round of prime ministerial elections came into direct conflict with advice given to the Congress by the sitting government yesterday. Following an emergency sitting Abdullah Al-Thinni’s cabinet told the GNC it should hold a new ballot to choose a Prime Minister, pass the 2014 budget and then cease all its activities.
A group of 21 Congress members announced today in an open letter that they supported Thinni’s decision. They said Congress had failed to listen to the voices of the Libyan people and that it was in the interest of the entire country that the GNC stepped down.
One of the signatories to the letter, Congress member for Geminis Abdullah Al-Gmati, said he had signed it with his colleagues in support of the Thinni government and in hope that it would help resolve the current crisis. [/restrict]
