Libyan PM election illegal
June 9, 2014
Libya's Supreme Constitutional Court announced the ruling in a statement broadcast on state television on Monday.
"The ruling decided ... the appointment of Mr. Ahmed Maiteg as premier of the interim government was unconstitutional," the statement said. Following the announcement, Libya's General National Congress (GNC) said it would comply with the ruling.
Maiteg, an independent backed by Islamists, was elected in May amid a chaotic session in the interim parliament. Following the vote, opposition lawmakers argued that Maiteg had not received the number of votes required under Libyan law to be elected premier. As a result, the outgoing prime minister and career army officer, Abdullah al-Thinni, said he would not leave office, at least until after a court decision had been handed down.
Two days after he took office, Maiteg's home in Tripoli came under attack by unknown gunmen with grenades. The attack caused damage to the building but no casualties.
Maiteg (pictured above) had been due to lead the country until elections to be held on June 25. The current lawmakers were elected in July 2012 in Libya's first free vote almost one year after the revolution that ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Since the revolution, the oil-rich North African country has been awash with weapons and security remains poor. Last month, a renegade former army chief, General Khalifa Haftar, launched a military campaign against Islamist militias who he blames for the country's last three years of instability.
hc/pfd (Reuters, AFP, AP)