Rifts appearing within GNA threaten its future

Sara Rashad

Libyan activists are calling on the international community to stop recognizing the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

This is the only way, they said, this government would stop getting support for the militias it sponsors.

The news calls threaten the legitimacy of the GNA. This government derives this legitimacy from the 2015 Skhirat Agreement.

The calls are made as the GNA comes under fire from ordinary people in Tripoli, who accuse it of corruption and failure.

Conflict

On August 6, Deputy Head of the Presidential Council Ahmed Metig asked ordinary people in Tripoli to stage protests against what he described as “corruption” within the GNA.

He asked Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha to protect the demonstrators.

Metig’s call for protests uncovered rifts within the GNA. They polarized the Tripoli-based government. They also opened the door for the emergence of two camps, namely those who back GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and those who oppose him.

Ordinary Libyans posted videos on social media, meanwhile, in which they complained against deteriorating conditions in Tripoli.

Metig hails from Misrata like Bashagha. The ongoing conflict pits both men against those who hail from Tripoli.

Head of the lobbying team, Libyan National Action Group, Khaled al-Turgoman, said those hailing from Misrata want to dominate the scene and get Turkish support for themselves.

“However, al-Sarraj is a proving to be a major hindrance on this road,” he said.

Al-Turgoman said al-Sarraj is coming under fire against the background of his mismanagement of the Tripoli-based government and the Presidential Council.

The successes the GNA made in western Libya, he said, watered everybody’s mouth.

Government of discord

Libyan political analyst Fatma Ghandour said the ongoing wave of anger at the GNA is a normal outcome of the makeup of this government.

The GNA is made up of incoherent elements, Ghandour said.

Nevertheless, the same government moved ahead and signed deals, including those delimiting borders, which violates its original mandate, al-Ghandour said.