Libya's National Congress has voted overwhelmingly to dismiss Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur in a vote of no confidence on Sunday evening.
Of the 186 members present for the vote 125 voted to sack him, with 44 voting to keep him and 17 abstentions.
Earlier in the day, Abushagur had submitted an emergency cabinet of just ten names for Congressional approval and delivered an impassioned speech calling for unity at a time of national crisis.
Libya Herald reports that congress has not yet decided what procedure should now be followed to find a replacement for Abushagur, and no potential candidate has yet emerged.
The Telegraph reports that Abushagur represented an offshoot of Libya's oldest anti-Gadhafi opposition movement, and was considered a compromise candidate acceptable to both liberals and Islamists.
The vote opens up the prospect of a political vacuum at a time of acute uncertainty on a number of fronts in Libya.
International businesses have already voiced their concern that the lack of political certainty raises the prospect of reduced investment in the Libyan economy.
(Sources: Libya Herald, AFP, Bloomberg, The Telegraph)
This will be an ongoing problem. Time will have to be given to any new prime or any other ministerial incumbents.
For over 40 years no one has been in this position, therfore anyone who aspires to do this, must be allowed to select a cabinet for them to work together for at least a year to gain some experience and not a little understanding.
Obviously corruption and any wrong doing would have to be dealt with, but patience is uppermost here.
The wider political factions should be asked straight out, when they raise complaint. Are you doing this for political ends or for Libya and explain their reasons for dissent.
I know this is easy to say, but the rule of law must prevail at all costs, if the country is to move forward as quickly as it vast resourses can allow.