Ali Zaidan wins position of Libyan prime minister

Local council member of the city of Tripoli and member of the Libyan National Council Ali Zaidan speaks during a conference on Libya, in Doha in this May 11, 2011 file photo. Libya's national assembly elected Zaidan as Prime Minister on October 14, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

TRIPOLI - Ali Zaidan, a former diplomat, was elected Sunday Libya's prime minister after a vote in the country's national congress.

The Libyan national TV announced late Sunday the victory of Zaidan, an opponent of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi who was ousted and killed in last year's civil war.

Zaidan won the vote 93-85 against Mohammed al-Harari, after the exclusion of two other candidates earlier, namely Abdulhammed Alnamee, who failed to receive enough recommendation from congress members, and Ibrahim Aldabashy, who did not meet up with standards of trust and integrity.

According to national congress spokesman Omar Hameedan, the winner is tasked with naming the members of his ministry cabinet in 15 days from the announcement of the vote result.

A week ago, the Libyan national congress dismissed for the second time the cabinet line-up by ex-Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur.

The congress voted 125 versus 44 in favor of removing Abushagur as prime minister, with 17 abstentions.