TRIPOLI – The Congress is constitutionally bound to choose a prime minister and cabinet no later than 30 days after its first session. The National Congress has officially announced that ministers will be nominated to form a new government no later than 8 September. Under the Constitutional Declaration of 3 August 2011, the Congress was given a maximum of 30 days to appoint a new prime minister and cabinet from the date of its first sitting. The Congress held its first session on 9 August this year. Congress spokesman Omar Hmaidan said that discussions were still being held regarding the selection criteria, including whether members of the government can have dual nationality or foreign spouses. Importantly, the question of whether or not the executive will be separate from the legislature during this next phase of Libya's democratic transition appears not yet to have been determined. Hmaidan said the question of whether government ministers could be selected from within the Congress had yet to be decided. It has also been proposed that any nominees for government office must have the backing of at least 20 Congress members. – Libya Herald
