Khalid al-Mishri, the chairperson of Libya's High Council of State called on rival Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha to resign, while he called on the Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to accept change, as France urged all parties to refrain from violence.
Al-Mishri noted that Bashagha tried to form his government in Tripoli in a fait accompli, as he said he rejects the attempt.
Accusing Bashagha and Dbeibah of refusing to hold elections even after five years, al-Mishri said he calls on the former to submit his resignation and Dbeibah to accept change.
“We need to come to conciliation on a small-scale government whose sole goal is to hold elections based on the constitution,” al-Mishri said.
He continued by saying that the Dbeibah government is unable to hold elections as it only has control over Tripoli and some cities in Libya.
Meanwhile, France urged all parties in Libya to respect the cease-fire agreement and refrain from any violence.
The French foreign ministry said Paris calls on Libya's stakeholders to commit to genuine dialogue with a view to reaching a viable political solution.
The ministry emphasized that efforts for a political solution have to include transparent and impartial presidential and parliamentary elections.
For more than two months, there have been two governments wrestling for power in Libya – the Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and the other appointed in early March by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, clashes broke out in Tripoli when Bashagha tried to enter the Libyan capital to take control from Dbeibeh.
Bashagha eventually left the capital and announced later in the day that he will base his government in the city of Sirte.
Dbeibah has previously said he would only cede authority to a government that comes through an "elected parliament," raising fears that the oil-rich country could slip back into a civil war.
