Russia does not want Turkey to dominate Libya

On February 5, the Libya’s warring factions announced that a slate of candidates had been selected to lead the country until December when elections are expected to be held. Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, a Libyan businessman from the western city of Misrata, was named the interim prime minister. Alongside him as interim president will be Mohammad Younes Menfi, Libya’s former ambassador to Greece. <br /><br /><br /><br />An interim government is still in the process of taking shape, but already foreign powers like Turkey and Russia are waiting to determine their next move. <br /><br /><br />Ivan Bocharov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) in Moscow said that the crop of candidates selected are political unknowns which lends to a lot of uncertainty as to whether they can succeed in their roles. Bocharov is not optimistic about their ability to win the trust of Libyans . <br /><br /><br />“I have a fear that the transitional government will not be respected among Libyans,” said Bocharov in a recent podcast with Turkey Abroad.