Turkey’s backers competing to win sovereign posts in Libya

Mustafa Kamel

Those backing the Turkish occupation of Libya are competing to win the elections over the country’s sovereign positions.

The United Nations Mission in Libya announced the list of candidates for the positions, which include this of the prime minister and the head of the Presidential Council.

This came a week after the mission received the names of those who want to run in the elections.

Twenty-four people are competing for the position of Presidential Council head and 21 for the position of prime minister, according UN envoy to Libya Stephanie Williams.

The mission formed a panel of three people to look into the applications of the candidates to ensure that they meet candidacy requirements.

Williams said that all candidates had agreed to abide by the roadmap drawn by the Libyans.

She added that the roadmap opens the door for holding national elections on 24 December this year.

Terrorism supporters

A number of those running to the sovereign positions are backers of the militias controlling some parts of Libya. Some of these militias are directly backed by Turkey.

These candidates include incumbent interior minister in the western Libya government Fathi Bashagha. They also include Salaheddine al-Namroush, the minister of defense in the western Libya government.

The same candidates include Osama Guweili who played an important role in formulating alliances among the militias controlling Libyan capital Tripoli.