The Head of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel Hamid Dbeibeh, has refused to hand over power to a new government except by holding elections, in clear defiance of the parliament’s decision to choose a new prime minister next Thursday.
Dbeibeh said, in a speech on Tuesday, that “the government will continue its work until elections are held. Only elections will end the transitional periods.”
He added, “We will not allow the dominant political class over the past years to continue for more years,” accusing it of issuing decisions by Parliament without oversight and quorum.
Dbeibeh said that he had initiated “wide consultations to present a specific and unambiguous plan of action to implement the constitutional entitlement and the elections next June.”
He added, “The option of the electronic referendum, which is applicable in several countries, is possible if the High National Elections Commission (HNEC) is unable to conduct the referendum.”
On Monday, the House of Representatives (the Parliament) decided to vote next Thursday to choose a new prime minister.
The Parliament confirmed that the vote will be held on two candidates whose files meet the conditions required to run for prime minister, namely Fathi Bashagha and Khaled Al-Bibas.