The House of Representatives is undergoing an unprecedented period of upheaval and disarray. The eastern institution has barely met to hold a session in the past months, while there has been growing acrimony between the head of the House, Aguila Saleh, and his two deputies. There is also now a push from inside the House to shake up the institution and remove Saleh altogether. 

A group of House MPs have been expressing their frustration with Saleh for some time – accusing him of failing to consult them and of issuing decisions unilaterally. These accusations reached a new climax in March after the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) issued a surprise new tax on imported goods. These levies – imposed during Ramadan – ranged from 7 percent on some food items and raw materials; to 25 percent on building materials, clothing and household appliances; to 40 percent on tobacco and cigarettes. They triggered widespread anger and protests, including in Tripoli, where Libyans blamed the GNU despite it denying it had anything to do with the tax.

The GNU insisted that the levy was the work of the House. This proved to be correct after it emerged that the head of the House’s Economy and Investment Committee, Badr Naheeb, had written to the CBL, instructing it to impose a levy on certain imported goods – a move seemingly sanctioned by Saleh. This news infuriated House members, prompting 107 of them to issue a joint statement denying that they had issued any decision authorising the CBL to introduce the new tax. They also stated that any correspondence or instructions relating to the taxes did not represent the institution and were not binding as they had been issued outside of proper legislative procedures. Meanwhile, members of the Economy and Investment Committee stated that the decision was nothing to do with them and that it had been issued unilaterally by Naheeb. 

Although this decision has now been cancelled by the House, with the hugely unpopular taxes annulled, it opened the way for those who are fed up with Saleh to press for serious change.

…as members push to oust Saleh…

With tempers fraying, a group of House MPs held a session on 11 March without Saleh or his deputies present, which was headed by the oldest member of the institution. These MPs agreed on the need to annul all decisions issued by Saleh for which he had failed consult with members. More importantly, they also presented a new roadmap for reforming the institution aimed at ‘rectifying the path of the legislature.’ 

This roadmap contains amendments to the House’s bylaws – including holding elections for a new presidency of the House (its speaker and two deputies) – as well as elections for the heads of the House’s committees. Indeed, these MPs want to remove Saleh and other figures who have been in post for a long time and re-inject some energy and new blood into the institution. They argue that Saleh, who is in his eighties, has been at the helm since the House’s establishment in 2014 and that a change is well overdue. 

MPs are also frustrated that Saleh spends a lot of time these days in his hometown of Qubbah, and that in his absence the House very rarely meets, resulting in greater dysfunction and irrelevance. They have complained as well that Saleh does not respond to them and that the Presidency is moving in a different orbit to that of the rest of the House. As such, these MPs have called for an official session to take place on 30 March for the roadmap to be discussed and approved. 

Saleh will do all he can to resist these efforts to force him out office. He will be backed by other members of the House who are objecting to the proposed roadmap and who fear that it will serve as a destabilising factor. In particular, they are rejecting the proposal that a leadership election be held every year, which is something done by the High Council of State. 

Who will triumph in this battle of wills has yet to be seen. The decision will ultimately sit with the LAAF General Commander, Khalifa Haftar and it isn’t clear whether he will back Saleh or not. He may well feel that Saleh remains a strong ally and the best man to lead the House and maintain stability and continuity. Yet if the status quo is upheld in this way, the House risks descending into further internal conflict and dysfunction. 

The March 2026 issue of Libya Focus also includes the following:

Implications

Politics

• Dbeibah carries out government reshuffle…
• Speculation over Dbeibah’s health is re-ignited
• The House of Representatives may be in for a shakeup…
• Boulos comes under fire…

Security

• Dbeibah reaches out to try to build alliances….
• Talk of a new extremist front…
• Damaged Russian tanker provokes alarm…

Energy & Economy

• Fire on Sharara pipeline may have been deliberate act
• Eni makes major gas discoveries