Libya’s UN-recognized parliament, the one based in the eastern town of Tobruk, voted overwhelmingly today, 15-89, to reject the call to recognize the new UN-backed “unity government” unveiled last week in Tunisia.
The government was an effort by the UN to come to some sort of deal to unite the Tobruk parliament, which they insist is the “real” parliament, and the Tripoli-based one, which is backed by several powerful western militias.
Tobruk MPs complained the power-sharing deal gave too much to the Tripoli parliament’s faction, and that the 32-member cabinet was far too big, giving the UN a week to offer another proposal. The “unity government” was already a government in name only, as it was never able to get back into the country, and is still stuck in Tunis.
The parliament did, however, vote in favor of continuing to back the UN effort to mediate a solution with the Tripoli parliament, something the UN cheered as an “endorsement in principle.” The bill only passed, however, after removing a clause giving a unity body any power.