Libyan Prime Minister Receives Vote of No-Confidence

Photo Credit: EFE

The Libyan General National Congress rejected Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abu Shagur‘s proposal for an emergency government on October 7. The plan, composed of 10 governing ministries, failed to pass by a vote of 125 to 44. Seventeen members of parliament chose to abstain, while the vote effectively removed Shagur from his position. The decision marks Shagur’s second failure to form a government. His first attempt proposed a unity government composed of 29 ministries, however he withdrew the list before it went to a vote. The original submission drew intense criticism from legislative members as well as protesters who stormed the parliament headquarters in Tripoli.  Shagur had aimed to form a coalition government based on merit saying, “I will not abandon my principles and my convictions. I did not return to Libya [from years in exile] to become head of government, I came back to serve the country and its children.” The GNC now has three to four weeks to elect a new prime minister.

Meanwhile, U.S. investigators left the embassy compound in Benghazi after thoroughly combing the site for information on the attack which took the life of Ambassador Chris Stevens. It is unclear what evidence the FBI team was able to gather. Local Libyans noted that the FBI did not conduct interviews during the investigation. U.S. officials have declined to say whether the team would be able to return to Benghazi in order to do so.