The chairman of Libya's High Council of State, Khalid al-Mishri, accused the UN-brokered Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) of violating the legitimacy.
Mishri, who is also a leader in the Justice and Construction Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the meeting “overlooked the true source of legitimacy, which is the people.”
The Forum, which included 75 national figures, concluded its meetings on February 05 in Geneva and appointed a new temporary executive authority that received local, regional, and international support.
During an interview with "France 24", Mishri discussed the method of naming the Forum’s participants. He said there were no precise criteria in choosing the representatives before he clarified himself and excluded members of the House of Representatives and High Council of State.
The Libyan Political Forum elected the interim executive authority from the third list, which included Mohammad al-Menfi as head of the presidential council, with the membership of Musa al-Koni, Abdullah al-Lafi, and Abdulhamid Dabaiba as prime minister.
Despite Dabaiba’s efforts in forming the government and Menfi’s tours around the country aiming to unify state institutions, Mishri said that the process of selecting this committee “remains subject to appeals.”
He reiterated his concerns about the selection process, saying he only accepted the result given the House of Representatives’ inability to convene.
Mishri withdrew his candidacy for the presidential council, one day before the Political Forum announced the executive authority. He stated that his decision was to give an opportunity for “greater consensus”, thanking all those who voted for him in the first round.
However, observers believe his decision was a result of the Brotherhood’s inability to establish alliances, warning that Mishri's statements could hinder the political track.
A political official of the government in eastern Libya was surprised with Mishri's change of heart at such critical times in the country, stressing that the current stage requires unity.
The official, who refused to be identified, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Mishri was a candidate for the head of the presidential council, under the chairmanship of this committee, but later came out to say he was dissatisfied with the way it was formed.
“Wasn’t he [Mishri] aware that the UN Support Mission in Libya chose the committee?” wondered the official, adding that Mishri is questioning the results announced by the committee which included national figures known for their integrity and transparency
Libyan journalist Bashir Zabiya expressed his surprise at the position of the head of the High Council, saying Mishri nominated himself for the council before withdrawing for undisclosed reasons.
Zabiya, who is the editor-in-chief of al-Wasat newspaper and website, lauded the efforts of UNSMIL in establishing the new executive authority.
He indicated that Mishri’s TV statements surprised him, especially when he questioned the legitimacy of the same committee that included 13 members of his council.
