Agenzia Fides

Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - Mohamed al-Magariaf was elected President of the National Assembly, the body that on August 8 represents the legitimate power in Libya. The National Transitional Council (CNT), the body which had led the revolt against Gaddafi’s regime, and after his death had taken temporary power was officially dissolved.
The transition between the CNT and the National Assembly (elected on July 7) has been recognized with a ceremony with which the President of the CNT, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, handed over the powers to Mohammed Ali Salim, the eldest member of the Assembly. Magariaf in addition to being President of the Assembly, will exercise the functions of Head of State ad interim.
He will have to appoint a Prime Minister, promulgate laws passed by the Assembly and lead Libya to new parliamentary elections after a new Constitution comes into force.
Magariaf is an economist and was Ambassador to Libya, but he is a historical opponent of Gaddafi, having been one of the leaders of the National Salvation Front of Libya, an organization that since the 80s had made several attempts to overthrow the old regime . The new President is also a native of Benghazi, the capital of Cyrenaica, the city where the revolt broke out which led to the fall of the regime. An important signal for the eastern region that feel marginalized by the central government of Tripoli. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 10/8/2012)