European Forum

Libyan transitional council elects new interim prime minister

On Sunday 31 October, the National Transitional Council (NTC), the current de facto government of Libya, has elected Abdel Rahim Al-Keeb as the country’s new interim Prime Minister. He was elected with 26 out of 51 votes in an election that followed Mahmoud Jebril resignation. Jebril fulfilled a promise to resign when Libya was declared officially "liberated" after the capture of Gaddafi's hometown Sirte and his subsequent killing. Al-Keeb’s main priorities will be organizing elections set to take place in June and stabilizing the country.

Abdel Rahim Al-Keeb is a relatively unknown member of the NTC, and has previously represented Tripoli for the body. He holds a Ph.D. in electro technical engineering – he earned the degree in the United States where he lived since 1975 – and was a member of the stabilisation team that attempted to restore services in western Libya during and after the civil war. The fact that he is an unknown figure for many Libyans might have helped him to secure the spot, as numerous NTC-members fear that the revolution might fall prey to charismatic technocrats. His western Libyan roots concern critics, as his election further strengthens the already powerful interest from that part of the country in the NTC.

Al-Keeb has promised to form a caretaker government within two weeks. The NTC has promised to hold general elections for a national assembly eight months after the official liberation, which was two weeks ago. The assembly will be tasked with writing a constitution for the country, a job for which they will have a year. After that year, parliamentary elections will be held. For now, the caretaker government must one the one hand deal with thousands of rebel fighters who have lost their cause and one the other hand mounting unrest by foreign investors that oil exports might be hampered.
Al-Keeb’s only policy statement so far comes in response to those concerns: “We demand respect of our national rights and national interests. In return, we promise respect and acting according to international law.”

Sources: CNN, Financial Times, NRC Handelsblad, Reuters, Image.