As political dialogue stumbles in Libya, Turkey and Italy are trying to exploit the North African country’s misfortunes to have a new executive authority appointed under its ally, the current President Fayez al-Sarraj. Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio had transferred a proposal from Sarraj to Haftar stipulating that Sarraj would remain head of the presidency council in exchange for appointing a prime minister from the eastern region. The newspaper added, “Sarraj informed Italy and Turkey that he is ready to extend his mandate, proposing to freeze the Presidential Council. But he offered to make room for a new prime minister (a position which does not exist today), and accepted that the nominee be from Haftar’s camp. Turkey was clearly annoyed by Sarraj’s decision to resign as soon as a new executive authority was agreed upon.

Source: Libya Today December 22, 2020 10:07 UTC