In a blow to ending Libya’s political crisis, Libya’s internationally recognized government has rejected UN efforts of establishing a unity government on Monday.
The Government of National Accord is seen by the international community in being pivotal in restoring stability to the war stricken country and defeating ISIS on the coastal city of Sirte.
The House of Representatives, Libya’s recognized legislature based in the far east, refused to give its support to the GNA.
“The majority of lawmakers present at the parliament session voted no confidence in the government,” said parliament spokesman Adam Boussakhra.
Libya’s rival government in the eastern portions of the country have refused to give up power and delayed any re conciliatory process over a lack of quorum.
Monday’s vote was “the first time quorum has been reached in five months,” Boussakhra said.
After one such vote postponement in February, 100 lawmakers in the 198-member legislature said they supported the GNA but had faced intimidation.
Mattia Toaldo, a Libya expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, warned Monday’s vote could lead to “a new institutional crisis” in the war-wracked country and called for “immediate international mediation”.
“We will have to see if Sarraj and the members of the (House of Representatives) who support him will accept the legitimacy of the vote,” he said.
