New Libyan government receives parliamentary backing

New Libyan government receives parliamentary backing

Libya's parliament on Wednesday granted a vote of confidence to the cabinet of Libyan prime minister-elect Ali Zidan, Libya's state-news agency LANA said.

A total of 105 members voted in favor, 18 abstained and nine voted against, state television reported.

The vote was delayed by a day after protesters stormed Libya's national assembly and disrupted proceedings, dpa reported.

The new government includes three deputy prime ministers, 27 ministers and two junior ministers.

Zidan had told the congress on Tuesday that in forming his cabinet he had taken into account "geographical considerations, which are a real and objective issue, so that the whole country would be represented."

The National Congress picked Zidan to form a government over an Islamist-backed rival after the previous prime-minister elect, Mustafa Abu Shagur, failed to win the backing of parliament.

Lawmakers had previously rejected two cabinet proposals by Abu Shagur, saying that several areas of Libya were not represented in his nominations.