A third government enters Tripoli and demands the handover of power in Libya

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The Libyan political scene entered a new stage of complexity, Friday, with Mustafa Al-Majdoub, who was chosen by a group of politicians and activists as head of what it called a “unified government,” announcing his arrival in the capital, Tripoli, and beginning to exercise his duties, in a move that places before the country a new authority in the face of the two existing governments in Tripoli and Benghazi.

In a speech addressed to the Libyans, Al-Majdoub announced the freezing of the work of Parliament and the Supreme Council of State, calling on the head of the National Unity Government, Abdel Hamid Al-Dabaiba, and the head of the government appointed by Parliament, Osama Hammad, to hand over power peacefully, “for our right to the blood of the Libyans.”

Al-Majdoub not only announced his arrival in Tripoli, but rather put forward a timetable for ending the transitional phase, as he called for holding a referendum on the constitution within 90 days, with presidential and parliamentary elections to be held within 8 months of the end of the referendum. He also declared a state of general military mobilization to protect the borders, the homeland, and citizens.

Al-Majdoub's name emerged last July, after a group of politicians and activists chose him during a meeting held in Geneva as head of a "unified government", in an initiative that came outside the existing political paths, and since its announcement, it has raised controversy and questions about its legitimacy and the possibility of transforming it into an actual authority inside Libya.

Al-Majdoub's arrival in Tripoli and his announcement of himself as head of a third government were met with mixed reactions. While the Presidential Council and the governments of Abdel Hamid Dabaiba and Osama Hammad remained silent regarding what he proposed, other social forces and activities showed openness to his program and dealt with it with a degree of seriousness, considering that what he proposed may constitute a basis on which to build to overcome the state of political and institutional division that the country is witnessing.

In this context, the “revolutionaries, notables, elders and youth of Misrata” announced in a statement their support for Mustafa Al-Majdoub to head a unified government and take over the reins as soon as possible, calling for the need to exploit this opportunity to end the division, unify state institutions, establish the law, and protect public funds.

The “Sons of Tripoli” also announced their full support for the path led by Mustafa Al-Majdoub and for a new phase aimed at ending division, corruption and conflict and building a state whose future the Libyans can decide for themselves.

In turn, member of the Supreme Council of State, Saad bin Sharada, interacted with this, and said, “You may agree with Al-Majdoub or disagree, and you may see in his project something that deserves discussion, or what needs to be reviewed, but the truth is that courage today has become a rare currency in the Libyan scene,” considering that a person coming to the forefront and clearly declaring his desire to bear the responsibility of leading the state, despite the limited capabilities and difficulty of the scene, is “a situation that requires a measure of courage.”

Ben Sharada concluded that Libya "today needs someone who has the courage to present himself and his project before the Libyans, and then let them have the final word."

Meanwhile, observers view Al-Majdoub's move as coming in the context of frustration over the continued political division and the faltering electoral process, considering that proposing a timetable for the constitution and elections may resonate with sectors that believe that the continuation of the transitional phase is no longer acceptable.

This comes at a time when the United Nations mission in Libya is pushing towards a political path aimed at unifying power and creating conditions for holding general elections that would end the country’s crisis.