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Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives has removed longtime Speaker Aguila Saleh after nearly 12 years in office, ending the tenure of one of the most influential figures in the country’s divided political system.
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Lawmakers elected Al-Salhin Abdelnabi Al-Obeidi, an engineer and representative of Tobruk, as the new speaker. Tarek Al-Ashtar and Misbah Douma were also elected as first and second deputy speakers respectively.
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The change followed a vote by 98 lawmakers to introduce a new system limiting the speaker and deputy speakers to one 12-month term, ending the arrangement that had allowed Saleh to remain in office since 2014.
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Saleh was a longstanding ally of eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar, while analysts say the change comes as Haftar’s family, particularly his son Saddam, strengthens its influence over eastern Libya and its role in negotiations over national reunification.
October 8, (THEWILL) – Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives has removed its longtime Speaker, Aguila Saleh, after nearly 12 years in office, in a major leadership shake-up that could further unsettle the country’s already fragile political landscape.
Lawmakers elected Al-Salhin Abdelnabi Al-Obeidi, an engineer and representative of the eastern city of Tobruk, to replace Saleh at a session chaired by Second Deputy Speaker, Misbah Douma.
The House also elected Tarek Al-Ashtar as first deputy speaker and Douma as second deputy speaker. More than 100 lawmakers attended the session.
THEWILL reports that the removal followed a significant change to the parliament’s internal rules a day earlier, when 98 lawmakers approved a system limiting the speaker and deputy speakers to a single 12-month term. The amendment effectively ended the leadership arrangement that had remained in place since the House’s first leadership was elected in 2014, when Saleh became speaker.
“There was significant discontent among MPs with the previous leadership over numerous errors”, lawmaker Jebree Oheida told newsmen.
He said lawmakers had attempted to engage with the leadership to resolve their concerns but without success, citing decisions allegedly taken without adequate consultation with members.
Saleh, however, rejected the proceedings that paved the way for his removal. He described the earlier session approving the leadership-term changes as unofficial and said it had no legal effect. He also announced that he had cancelled a session he had called, arguing that the parliamentary procedures required for such decisions had not been followed.
Saleh’s Political Influence
Saleh, 82, has been a central figure in Libya’s politics since the overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
He became speaker of the House of Representatives in 2014 and remained one of the most prominent figures in the eastern political establishment as Libya became increasingly divided between rival administrations and military factions.
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He was also a close political ally of Khalifa Haftar, the powerful military commander whose forces control large parts of eastern Libya.
The House of Representatives, based in the east, has provided political backing to Haftar’s camp, while the internationally recognised Government of National Unity operates from Tripoli in western Libya.
Saddam Haftar, son and deputy of Khalifa Haftar, has increasingly emerged as an important figure in the eastern camp’s domestic and international engagements..
Background
Aguila Saleh became Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives in 2014, when the country was entering another major phase of political and military division.
The House subsequently became the principal political institution of the eastern camp, which developed a close relationship with Haftar’s military forces.
Libya’s rival administrations have since remained locked in a struggle over legitimacy, state institutions, security forces and control of the country’s vast oil resources.
Repeated international mediation efforts have failed to deliver lasting political reunification, while planned national elections have been repeatedly delayed.
The latest attempt to revive the political process has brought together rival factions under a UN-backed framework, with the United States also pushing a parallel initiative.
Against that backdrop, Saleh’s removal after 12 years represents a major change within the eastern political establishment and could have significant implications for the next phase of Libya’s efforts to reunify its institutions and hold long-delayed elections.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
