Libya's Eastern Parliament Ousts Longtime Speaker Aguila Saleh After 12 Years

Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives has voted to remove its longtime speaker, Aguila Saleh, bringing an end to a 12-year tenure that had increasingly drawn criticism from fellow lawmakers. The legislative body, which operates from the eastern city of Benghazi, elected Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi as his replacement during a session on Tuesday, according to an announcement made by the parliament's spokesperson on the social media platform X.

The leadership change marks a significant shift in the political landscape of eastern Libya. Saleh had presided over the 170-member chamber since its first leadership was elected in 2014, making him one of the most enduring figures in the country's post-revolution political order. His removal signals deepening fractures within the eastern power structure and reflects broader discontent among legislators who felt sidelined by his leadership style.

The vote to replace Saleh came just one day after 98 members of the House approved a new internal system that limits both the speaker and deputy speakers to a single 12-month term. That procedural change effectively dismantled an arrangement that had allowed Saleh to remain in power for over a decade, paving the way for Tuesday's leadership election. The move was described by lawmakers as a necessary correction to a system that had grown stagnant and unaccountable.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency, lawmaker Jebree Oheida explained the motivations behind the push to remove Saleh. He cited "significant discontent among MPs with the previous leadership over numerous errors," adding that legislators had attempted to engage with Saleh's office to resolve their concerns but found their efforts fruitless. Among the grievances listed by Oheida were decisions taken without proper consultation of parliament members, a complaint that underscored the centralized nature of Saleh's leadership.

The session that produced the leadership change was overseen by Second Deputy Speaker Misbah Douma, according to reporting by the Libya Observer. Saleh, however, refused to recognize the legitimacy of the proceedings. He had previously declared that the initial vote to limit the speaker's term was "not official and had no legal effect," and he announced that he had cancelled the session he himself had called for Tuesday. This competing claim to authority highlights the messy and contested nature of the transition.

The internal upheaval comes against the backdrop of Libya's ongoing and deeply entrenched political and military division. The country remains split between the United Nations-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east that is backed by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar. The House of Representatives in Benghazi functions as a key institutional pillar of the eastern camp, making its leadership composition a matter of considerable importance to the broader balance of power.

Saleh had long been regarded as a steadfast ally of the Haftar family. However, analysts suggest that his position had weakened considerably as Haftar's sons, particularly Saddam Haftar, moved to consolidate their influence over eastern Libyan affairs. Emadeddin Badi, an analyst at the London-based Chatham House, offered a pointed assessment of the dynamics at play. "Agila Saleh appears to be the latest casualty of Saddam Haftar's drive to centralise decision-making in eastern Libya and bulldoze his way into a political role," Badi said, framing the speaker's removal as part of a larger consolidation of power within the Haftar clan.

The newly elected speaker, Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi, hails from the same tribe as Saleh and represents the eastern city of Tobruk. He has previously chaired parliament's Libyan-Turkish friendship committee, a role that may have given him exposure to diplomatic engagement. His elevation to the speakership places him at the center of eastern Libya's political apparatus at a time of considerable flux, and his relationship with the Haftar family will be closely watched in the coming months.

In addition to electing a new speaker, the House on Tuesday also chose Tarek al-Ashtar and Mesbah Douma as first and second deputy speakers, respectively. The full leadership reshuffle suggests that lawmakers are seeking a comprehensive reset of the chamber's top ranks rather than a simple replacement of the speaker alone. The new leadership team will now be tasked with navigating the complex web of alliances and rivalries that define eastern Libyan politics.

The leadership change unfolds alongside a fragile diplomatic process aimed at unifying Libya's fractured institutions. In August, representatives of the country's rival political camps signed a landmark agreement in Tripoli that could pave the way for presidential and legislative elections within two years. The deal, mediated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), was the product of the so-called "4+4 committee," which brought together delegates from both sides in an attempt to resolve the recurring legal and institutional disputes that have paralyzed the nation since the overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

That agreement represents the latest in a series of international efforts to stitch Libya's competing authorities back together. The country has been mired in instability since the 2011 uprising, with rival governments, armed groups, and foreign backers all vying for influence. Elections have been repeatedly promised and repeatedly postponed, leaving ordinary Libyans to contend with chronic insecurity, economic dysfunction, and a lack of legitimate political representation.

Separately, the United States has been pursuing its own reunification plan for the oil and gas-rich North African nation. The effort is being led by Massad Boulos, President Donald Trump's senior adviser for Arab and African affairs. While details of the American initiative remain limited, its existence points to the continued interest of external powers in shaping Libya's political trajectory. The overlap between the UN-mediated process and the US plan raises questions about coordination and whether competing diplomatic tracks might undermine one another.

For now, the removal of Aguila Saleh adds another layer of uncertainty to an already fluid situation. His departure after 12 years in the speaker's chair removes a familiar figure from the eastern political scene, but it also raises questions about who will ultimately fill the power vacuum and whether the new leadership can assert genuine authority over a chamber that has been closely intertwined with military power. The coming weeks will reveal whether the change in parliamentary leadership translates into meaningful political reform or merely a reshuffling of the same entrenched interests.

The developments in Benghazi are likely to resonate beyond Libya's borders. Foreign governments that have invested diplomatic capital in the UN-led process will be watching to see whether the new parliamentary leadership proves more cooperative than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the Haftar camp's calculations will be scrutinized for signs of whether the speaker's ouster strengthens or complicates its position ahead of any future negotiations. What remains clear is that Libya's path toward stability and unified governance continues to be riddled with obstacles, and the ouster of one of its most durable political figures serves as a reminder of how quickly the ground can shift.