NTC votes for head of Libya interim govt: AFP

TRIPOLI (AFP) - Members of Libya's National Transitional Council were voting late Monday to elect the head of an interim government, an AFP correspondent reported.

The public vote got underway at 7:40 pm (1740 GMT), with the chairman of the NTC, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, being the first to cast his ballot.

"This vote proves that Libyans are able to build their future," the NTC chief said after voting.

NTC official Mustafa al-Mana said the 52 members of the council were being asked to choose from five remaining candidates after the withdrawal of five others, including NTC vice president Abdel Hafez Ghoka.

Among the main candidates are interim oil minister Ali Tarhuni and Idriss Abu Fayed, former opponent of Moamer Kadhafi who had been imprisoned under the ousted dictator's regime, and Ali Zidan, an NTC representative in Europe.

A second round would be required if none of the candidates obtains more than 27 votes.

The NTC, having declared the country's "liberation" three days after the October 20 capture and killing of longtime strongman Moamer Kadhafi, launched a roadmap to a new Libya with a 20-month countdown to a general election.

Under the roadmap, the NTC is to hand over power to an elected assembly within eight months and a constitution is to be drawn up.

© 2011 AFP