TRIPOLI: Libya’s parliament speaker, a supporter of eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar, was removed on Tuesday after 12 years in the role, a move experts suggest may signal a shifting political balance.
MPS voted to replace Agila Saleh with Al-Salhin Abdelnabi Al-Obeidi, according to the parliament’s spokesman on X.
Since Muammar Qaddafi’s overthrow in 2011, Libya has endured persistent violence and political instability.
The country remains split between the UN‑recognized government in Tripoli, headed by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and an eastern administration backed by military commander Haftar.
Haftar’s camp depends heavily on the parliament, which is located in the eastern city of Benghazi and operates under their control.
At 82, Saleh had long been seen as a steadfast ally of the Haftar family, but his influence waned as Haftar’s sons—most notably Saddam Haftar—consolidated power.
Emadeddin Badi, a Chatham House analyst based in London, observed: “Agila Saleh is the latest casualty of Saddam Haftar’s effort to centralize decision‑making in eastern Libya and force his way into a political role.”
His removal coincides with ongoing discussions of a U.S. initiative to revive Libya’s political process and unify its institutions.
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