On November 12, the United Nations envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, submitted a proposal to amend the political agreement to the House of Representatives and the Supreme Council of the State.
The proposal of the United Nations envoy contained 12 items relating to executive powers of the Presidential Council and the Government, including the formation of a new Presidential Council consisting of a President and two Vice-Chairmen, through a list of three candidates representing the three regions of Libya. A group made up of 10 members of the House of Representatives elected on 25 June 2014 and 10 members of the Supreme State Council elected on July 7, 2012 would approve each list, which would then be voted on by the HOR.
The position of the Supreme Council of the State on the initiative:
During a session held last Wednesday, the Supreme Council of the State approved Salame’s proposal with some reservations. They commented on a paragraph in Article II, which gives the House of Representatives unilateral authority to vote on the selection of the list of the proposed presidential council, noting that the selection of the presidential council requires consensus.
On the other hand, after a surprise meeting on Wednesday, the President of the Supreme Council of State, Abdulrahman Al-Swehli issued a statement on behalf of the Council rejecting Salame’s proposal. Al-Swehli’s statement was considered as a violation of power by a number of members of the council as it was undertaken without their agreement.
In response to Al-Swehli’s statement, Idris Abu Fayed, a member of the Supreme Council of the State, commented that it does not represent what was discussed in the meeting of the Council; describing it as unilateral decision made by Al-Swehli to evade his responsibilities and falsely attributed to the Council.
The Chairman of the Political Dialogue Committee of the Supreme Council of the State Musa Faraj denies what was stated within Al-Swehli’s statement. Musa Faraj told Arraed LG that the Council did not reject the proposal submitted by the UN envoy regarding the executive authority but rather they welcomed it with some reservation. Faraj explained that Salame had provided them with a proposal that included 12 articles. The Council of the State objected to the article that gives the House of Representatives unilateral authority for the selection of the Presidential Council, noting that the selection should be based on consensus. He added that the current political stage can not tolerate one of the political parties having complete monopoly over the decisions for the entire state.
The Justice and Construction bloc in the State Council demands that Al-Swehli abide by the will of the Council.The Justice and Construction bloc of the Supreme Council of State called for adherence to the path sponsored by the United Nations, and to stay away from parallel tracks and initiatives that may confuse the scene and disrupt consensus.In a statement, the bloc called on the head of the Supreme Council of State to abide by the will of the Council and not to unilaterally issue statements on behalf of the Council which are contrary to the will of its members.The bloc praised the will for consensus expressed by the Supreme Council of the State during the meeting and within their discussions, in which they welcomed the initiative of the UN envoy.
As it stands the President of the Supreme Council of State and its members are in dispute while the House of Representatives reached agreement at their previous meeting, with 32 out of 50 members (and 2 abstentions) voting for the proposal.
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