Libya’s unity government mandate ‘expired’: Parliament speaker

TRIPOLI, Libya

Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh said Monday that the mandate of the country’s unity government has expired.

Saleh told parliament that the confidence obtained by the unity government ended on Dec. 24.

“This government is considered outgoing and must be reformed,” he added.

There was no comment from the unity government on Saleh’s comments.

Monday’s session was headed by Saleh for the first time in three months after he suspended his duties to run in Libya’s presidential elections.

The polls were scheduled to take place on Dec. 24, but were postponed over disagreements among the country’s political rivals. No new date for the vote has yet been agreed.

Saleh called on the United Nations mission in Libya to pile pressure on all Libyan parties with a view to holding the polls.

He also called for forming a committee from 30 experts representing Libya’s three regions to “draft a consensual constitution" within a one-month period.

Libyan rival parties have been in disagreement over the voting timetable for the presidential and parliamentary elections to be held simultaneously or one after the other.

Libyans hope that the upcoming elections will contribute to ending the armed conflict that has plagued the oil-rich country for years.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar