日本語
한국어
Polski
Deutsch
Nederlands
Español
Français
Português
Italiano
Svenska
繁體中文
Dansk
// DOSSIER — libya-parliament-ousts-speaker-aguila-saleh-eastern-power
Libya's Parliament Ousts Longtime Speaker Aguila Saleh Amid Eastern Power Shift
REL_TIME: 10 Oct 2026 17:12Z · LANG: EN
Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives has removed Aguila Saleh from his position as Speaker after 12 years, electing Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi as his successor. The transition followed a legislative change limiting the speakership to a single 12-month term, reflecting deep-seated discontent among lawmakers over Saleh's unilateral decision-making. Analysts suggest Saleh's ouster signals a consolidation of power by Saddam Haftar, son of military commander Khalifa Haftar, as the country navigates a UN-mediated path toward national elections and a US-led reunification plan.
// Background
Libya has been politically and militarily divided since 2014 between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by Khalifa Haftar. The House of Representatives, based in Benghazi, has been the primary legislative body for the eastern faction. The ouster of Saleh comes amid a US-led reunification plan and a UN-mediated roadmap for elections following years of institutional deadlock.
// Key Developments
- Aguila Saleh ousted after serving as Speaker since the chamber's inception in 2014.
- Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi, a civil engineer from Tobruk, elected as the new Speaker.
- New 12-month term limits established for parliamentary leadership, ending indefinite tenures.
- Saleh dismissed the proceedings as illegal and attempted to cancel the session before the vote.
- Analysts link the move to Saddam Haftar's efforts to centralize control in eastern Libya.
// Timeline
-
Aguila Saleh is first elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
-
Rival factions sign the '4+4 committee' agreement to hold elections within two years.
-
98 MPs approve a new system limiting the speaker to a single 12-month term.
-
The House of Representatives votes to replace Saleh with Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi.
// Perspectives
[Aguila Saleh]
Claims the parliamentary session and the vote to limit terms were unofficial and lacked legal effect.
[House of Representatives Majority]
Argues that leadership changes were necessary to address administrative errors and lack of consultation.
[Saddam Haftar]
Viewed by analysts as the primary driver behind the removal to consolidate his own political influence.
[United Nations (UNSMIL)]
Focused on maintaining the '4+4 committee' agreement to hold national elections within two years.
// Quotes
“There was significant discontent among MPs with the previous leadership over numerous errors... Among these errors were decisions made without consulting MPs.”
“Agila Saleh appears to be the latest casualty of Saddam Haftar’s drive to centralize decision-making in eastern Libya and bulldoze his way into a political role.”
