On Saturday 15 October, the European Union condemned an attempt by former Libyan prime minister Khalifa al-Ghowel and his supporters to seize power on 14 October. They announced that they had returned to their old jobs after taking possession of the State Council buildings without a fight.
"The use of force to seize power in Libya can only lead to further disorder and a spiral of violence where the Libyan people would be the main victims", warned a spokesperson for the European External Action Service in a press release.
"It is vital that all stakeholders work together in support of the implementation of the Libya Political Agreement in order to bring about a democratic process in which all Libyan people find their place", the EEAS spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also called on the Presidency Council "to rapidly strike a compromise on an inclusive new proposal for the formation of the Government of National Accord, and on which the House of Representatives needs to vote in a fair and orderly manner". At the end of August, after a new vote of no-confidence in the government, the Chamber gave the Presidency Council ten days to come up with a new cabinet – but despite international pressure, no new cabinet has yet been proposed (see EUROPE 11631).
The European Union will continue to lend support to the Libyan people and to UNSMIL (the United Nations Support Mission in Libya) in its efforts to bring about a lasting solution, the EEAS spokeswoman stated. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)