Fathi Bashagha
Bashagha in 2021
Prime Minister of Libya
(Government of National Stability)
Suspended
Assumed office
3 March 2022*
Suspended: 16 May 2023 – present
PresidentMohamed al-Menfi
DeputySalim Zadma
Preceded byAbdul Hamid Dbeibeh
Succeeded byOsama Hamada (acting)
Minister of Interior
In office
7 October 2018 – 15 March 2021
Suspended: 28 August 2020 – 3 September 2020
PresidentFayez al-Sarraj
Preceded byAbdussalam Ashour
Succeeded byKhalid Mazen
Personal details
Born (1962-08-20) 20 August 1962 (age 61)
Misrata, Kingdom of Libya
Alma materAir College, Misrata
Signature
Websitefathibashagha.com
Military service
Allegiance Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Branch/service Libyan Air Force
Years of service1984–1993
Rank Second Lieutenant
CommandsAir College, Misrata
*Bashagha's premiership was disputed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.[1]

Fathi Ali Abdul Salam Bashagha (Arabic: فتحي علي عبد السلام باشآغا; born 20 August 1962), known simply as "Fathi Bashagha" or occasionally Fathi Ali Pasha, is a Libyan politician and the former interim prime minister of Government of National Stability.[2] He served as Minister of Interior from 2018 to 2021.

On 10 February 2022, Bashagha was selected as prime minister-designate by the eastern-based Libyan House of Representatives. However, GNU Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh rejected Bashagha's appointment as prime minister, stating that he will only hand over power after a national election.[3] Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army welcomed Bashagha's appointment.[4]

On 16 May 2023, the Libyan eastern- based parliament suspended Bashagha and assigned his duties to the finance minister Osama Hamada.[5]

Early life and education

Bashagha was born on 20 August 1962,[6] in the city of Misrata, Kingdom of Libya.[7]

Bashagha was a member of the Boy Scouts of Libya.[8]

Bashagha graduated from the Misrata aviation college in 1984 and spent a decade working as a trainer pilot specializing in fighter jets. He remained at the aviation college until he resigned from the Libyan Air Force in 1993 and started working in the import-export trade.

He is of Kouloughli-Turkish descent.[9]

Military career

After the 2011 Libyan revolution, the Judicial Committee was formed. The Judicial Committee summoned serving and resigned officers to form a military committee, the Military Council in Misrata, of which Bashagha was a member.[10]

Bashagha has since 2013 been involved in the Libya Dawn Operations of 2013-14, and the 2019–20 Western Libya campaign "Volcano of Anger" counteroffensive operation against the LNA Operation Flood of Dignity.

In 2011, he joined the Military Council as Head of the Information and Coordinates Department, then as spokesperson for the Misrata Military Council. He joined the advisory committee at the National Reconciliation Commission. He served as a member of the controversial Misrata Shura Council in 2012, and is considered a supporter of and involved in the Libya Dawn operations. In 2013, he ran for the position of Minister of Defence.[11]

Political career

Bashagha was elected to the House of Representatives for the city of Misrata in 2014. He decided to boycott the House of Representatives along with a group of deputies from Misrata. He was nominated in 2015 to head the Defence and National Security Council of the Al-Wefaq government and apologized for not accepting the position. In 2016, he participated in the Parliament's Political Dialogue Committee. In October 2018, the GNA government decided to assign him the duties of Minister of Interior. On 28 August 2020, Bashagha was suspended as Interior Minister amid protests in Tripoli.[12] He was restored to his position on 3 September 2020.[13]

Bashagha is described by journalist Fehim Tastekin as "wield[ing] influence over the Mahjoub and Halbous brigades in Misrata", being the [Muslim] Brotherhood's man" in the GNA and having "strong bonds" with the government of Turkey.[14] Sami Zaptia, writing in the Libya Herald in September 2020, saw Bashagha's role in the GNA as being as strong as, or perhaps stronger than, that of prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj.[15]

Assassination attempts

On 16 December 2019, Bashagha was injured after being shot at in an assassination attempt by unknown gunmen.[16] On 21 February 2021, Bashagha survived an ambush by gunmen on his motorcade in Tripoli, in which one of his guards was wounded and the others chased the assailants, killing one of them and arresting two others.[17]

Coalition with Aguila Saleh Issa

In the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum procedure for choosing a unified executive authority ahead of the 24 December 2021 Libyan general election, Mohamed al-Menfi ran on a joint ticket with Abdul Hamid al-Dabaib as prime minister and Musa al-Koni and Abdallah al-Lafi as members of the Presidential Council. Their list obtained 39 votes, five more than that of {head of state according to the secularist eastern government) Aguila Saleh Issa and Fathi Bashagha.[18] The Aguila Saleh–Bashagha list was perceived to be favoured by the United States of America. The US ambassador denied any attempt to influence the electoral process.[19]

Government of National Stability

On 10 February 2022, the House of Representatives selected Fathi Bashagha as prime minister-designate, after HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh announced that the only other candidate, Khalid Al-Baybas, withdrew his candidacy.[20] However, Al-Baybas has denied withdrawing from the race.[21] Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh rejected Bashagha's appointment as prime minister, stating that he will only hand power after a national election.[20] Khalifa Haftar and his Libya National Army welcomed Bashagha's appointment.[22]

On 1 March, the House of Representatives voted to give confidence to Bashagha's Government of National Stability (GNS).[23][24] According to HoR Speaker Saleh, 92 out of 101 attending members voted for the new government.[23] The High Council of State rejected "unilateral" steps by the HoR and regards the HoR decision to grant confidence to a new government a violation of the Libyan Political Agreement.[25] The United Nations has voiced concerns over the vote due to reports on lack of transparency and procedure, and acts of intimidation prior to the HoR session.[26]

Bashagha and his cabinet were sworn in at the headquarters of the House of Representatives in Tobruk on 3 March.[1][27]

References

  1. ^ a b "Libyan parliament swears in new PM as crisis deepens". Al Jazeera. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Libya: Parliament names Fathi Bashagha as interim prime minister". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Libya rifts deepen as new PM named, incumbent refuses to yield". Reuters. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Libya: Tobruk parliament names new PM, fuelling division". Al Jazeera. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Libya parliament suspends rival eastern-based PM Bashagha". Al Jazeera. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  6. ^ "BBC Monitoring – Essential Media Insight". BBC.
  7. ^ "Intel: Libya's Sarraj suspends interior minister, fracturing Tripoli government". Al-Monitor. 31 August 2020.
  8. ^ Fitzgerald, Mary (8 March 2022). "Libyan youth dream of marriage". Orient XXI. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Libya: A Failed State in the Middle of the Mediterranean".
  10. ^ "فتحي باشاغا واستقالته من السلاح الجوي". awstsh.com (in Arabic). 6 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020.
  11. ^ "من هو باشاغا مرشح وزارة الداخلية بحكومة الوفاق؟". www.afrigatenews.net.
  12. ^ Influential Libyan interior minister suspended amid protests. Reuters. Published 28 August 2020.
  13. ^ Libyan interior minister restored to post after talks. Reuters. Published 3 September 2020.
  14. ^ Tastekin, Fehim (26 August 2019). "Are Libyan Turks Ankara's Trojan horse?". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Serraj backs down over sacking his dominant Interior Minister". Libya Herald. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Libya's GNA Interior Minister injured in assassination attempt". Al Arabiya English. 16 December 2019.
  17. ^ "Libyan interior minister survives attack on motorcade". ABC News. 22 February 2021.
  18. ^ Sami Zaptia (5 February 2021). "BREAKING: New unified Libyan government selected by LPDF in Geneva". Libya Herald. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  19. ^ Sami Zaptia (4 February 2021). "U.S denies attempting to influence LPDF process". Libya Herald. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Libya rifts deepen as new PM named, incumbent refuses to yield". Reuters. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  21. ^ Assad, Abdulkader (13 February 2022). "Al-Baybas denies withdrawing from PM candidacy contrary to HoR Speaker's remarks". Libya Observer. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Libya: Tobruk parliament names new PM, fuelling division". Al Jazeera. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  23. ^ a b Assad, Abdulkader (1 March 2022). "Libya's Parliament gives confidence to Bashagha's government". Libya Observer. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  24. ^ Zaptia, Sami (2 March 2022). "Bashagha Government of National Stability (GNS) releases new crest". Libya Herald. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  25. ^ Alharathy, Safa (1 March 2022). "HCS: Granting confidence to a new government violates Political Agreement". Libya Observer. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  26. ^ "UN voices concern over vote on new Libyan prime minister". Al Jazeera. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  27. ^ Assad, Abdulkader (3 March 2022). "Bashagha's government sworn in at HoR in Tobruk". Libya Observer. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
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