Ahmed Elumami TRIPOLI – Despite reports that the General National Congress would hold a vote of confidence today in the Prime Minister, Ali Zidan, it did not happen. Instead, Congress asked its various committees to discuss the matter. The reports were a misunderstanding, members have told the Libya Herald. “Despite what has been said [publicly], there was no expectation to vote [on the issue]“, independent Rujban Congressman Abu Baker Abdulqader Al-Rujbani said. “It was only a discussion.” In any event, he added, “we did not have enough time to discuss withdrawing confidence in Zidan”. Withdrawing confidence in Zidan was not the most important issue at present, he added. What was needed were solutions to the country's current problems, security being one of the most important. Simply replacing Zidan would not, by itself, solve anything, Al-Rujbani said. Zidan's government had been formed the basis that it included different groups and political entities, he explained. The problem was that these groups were now bitter rivals and this was preventing the government from working. If there was no collaboration in Congress and no urgent measures taken to deal with the problems impeding the state, no other prime minister would be able to succeed in the job, either. There were reported to be some 150 members at today's session. Replacing Zidan would have required 120 members voting to withdraw confidence in him. – Libya Herald
