Libya's elected parliament rejects PM's new cabinet: parliamentary spokesman

Reuters

Published Sep 18, 2014 06:19AM ET

Libya's elected parliament rejects PM's new cabinet: parliamentary spokesman

BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) - Libya's elected parliament has rejected the new cabinet of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni, a parliamentary spokesman said on Thursday.

Lawmakers demanded Thinni submit a new cabinet with not more than 10 ministers, Faraj Hashim said. Thinni had on Wednesday presented a cabinet with 16 ministers.

Thinni, a former career soldier, has been the oil producer's acting prime minister since March. He stood down after June elections and the new parliament reappointed him at the start of this month.

His administration has failed to impose order on a fragmenting country, and many observers fear Libya is heading for civil war.

Armed militias and Islamists who backed the rebellion to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 have kept their weapons, staking claims to territory, oil and other resources.