UN: Libya Govts Have ‘Consensus’ on Basics of Power-Sharing Deal

Both Sides to Submit Names for 'Unity Government'

The Western-backed Libyan government in Tobruk and the Tripoli-based government are moving closer to some sort of power-sharing agreement, according to UN officials familiar with the ongoing talks, and have reached a basic “consensus” on the main points of how it will work.

Details aren’t being released on this framework agreement, but both sides are to submit a list of names for possible candidates in key positions in the unity government, including a list of prime ministers who would be agreeable to them.

The split between the two governments is both ideological and territorial, and stems in part from Tobruk PM Abdullah al-Thinni, who back when they were the Tripoli government refused an appointment as PM, then refused to hand over the position to the parliament’s next choice, a Misratan.

The power dispute ultimately set the stage for the Misrata militia to back its own government, which took Tripoli,.and when the remnants of the old Thinni government fled to Tobruk, they reappointed Thinni as premier. Khalifa al-Ghawi is the current PM in Tripoli, though the position is officially only “acting” premier.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.