Libya's Eastern Parliament Ousts Speaker Aguila Saleh
The House of Representatives removed Speaker Aguila Saleh after 12 years, electing Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi to lead the eastern-based parliament.
Libya's eastern-based House of Representatives removed Speaker Aguila Saleh on October 6, 2026, ending his 12-year tenure. The ousting followed a session on October 5 where 98 of 102 members voted to limit the speaker and deputy speakers to a single 12-month term, dismantling a leadership arrangement that had been in place since 2014.
Lawmakers elected Al-Salhin Abdelnabi al-Obeidi as the new speaker in a unanimous 110-0 vote in Benghazi. Tarek al-Ashtar and Mesbah Douma were elected as first and second deputy speakers, respectively. The new leadership has since taken the legal oath, with al-Obeidi pledging to prioritize national reconciliation, the rule of law, and anti-corruption efforts.
Saleh rejected the transition, claiming the initial session was unofficial and legally void. Lawmaker Jebree Oheida attributed the move to significant discontent among MPs over leadership errors and decisions made without consulting parliament members. While Saleh was a long-term ally of military commander Khalifa Haftar, analysts suggest the shift reflects a drive by Saddam Haftar to centralize decision-making in eastern Libya.
The transition received immediate support from Khalifa Haftar and Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to the U.S. president. This leadership change occurs as the United Nations and the United States continue separate efforts to unify Libya's divided institutions and revive a political process that includes a UN-mediated agreement to hold national elections within two years.
