adminTOBRUK/BENGHAZI — Libya’s elected parliament approved on Monday a new cabinet proposed by Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni, a parliamentary spokesman said. Libya is struggling with anarchy as two parliaments and governments compete for legitimacy three years after Muammar Gaddafi was ousted.The elected House of Representatives and senior officials moved to the east after an armed group from the western city of Misrata seized the capital and set up a rival assembly and cabinet.
The House of Representatives, which is recognised by the international community, agreed on a second cabinet list after rejecting last week an initial 16-member lineup as too large, parliamentary spokesman Faraj Hashem said.
The new cabinet has 13 ministers including three deputies for Thinni and no oil minister. The vital oil sector will be run by state firm National Oil Corp (NOC) as under Gaddafi.
Thinni, a former career soldier, has been prime minister since March but had resigned after a June election. Lawmakers then asked him to again form a new government.
Foreign minister will be Mohammed al-Dairi, a former senior UN official, parliament said on its website. There will be no defence minister with the chief of staff running the military, Hashem said.
Thinni has failed to establish rule of law in Libya, where armed groups have called the shots since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Western powers fear Libya is heading towards civil war. The government cannot control former rebels who helped oust Gaddafi but now fight for power and a share of oil revenues. — Reuters.
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