Political
The Libya Herald wrote on 30 August that the National Assembly announced that ministers will be nominated to form a new government no later than 8 September. Assembly spokesman Omar Hmaidan said that discussions were still being held regarding the selection criteria, including whether members of the government can have dual nationality or foreign spouses.
Separate reports on 30 August stated that Abdul Rahman Al Swehli has withdrawn from the race to be nominated Prime Minister by the National Assembly. The competition for the post is now primarily between the National Forces Alliance’s Mahmoud Jibril, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Justice and Construction Party backed candidate, Minister of Electricity Awad Al Barasi, and Mohammed Balrawin. Former Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagur has also been listed as a hopeful candidate and Abdul Hamid Al Naami, the head of the Libyan Wasat Party, could be nominated prime minister as a compromise candidate. It is widely thought that Barasi has been negatively affected by continuous electricity cuts and reports of his weak health. Both Jibril and Barasi served under the Qadhafi regime.
Following last weeks attacks against Sufi shrines and the perceived deterioration of security in the capital, the Libyan Interior Minister Fawzi Abdul Aal tendered his resignation last week. However on 28 August the Al Arabiya satellite news station claimed that Abdul Aal subsequently withdrew his resignation. In an unusually candid admission of the scale of the security challenge facing the country Abdul Aal admitted he would not risk armed confrontation with extremists and that security needs to be balanced between confronting armed groups and ensuring that this does not lead to further armed conflict. Abdul Aal’s statement is seen by some as likely to encourage further attacks against Sufis and their property.