Libya's parliament ends Dbeibe government's term in office
Libya's parliament, based in the east of the country, has unilaterally announced the end of the mandate of the interim Government of National Unity (GNU), a decision that could further aggravate power struggles in the Arab nation.
The parliament, located in the city of Benghazi, voted unanimously to end the mandate of the GNU, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibe, declaring its rival, the National Stability Government, led by Osama Hammad, as the only "legitimate" government in the country until a new "unified" cabinet is elected.
In addition, parliamentary speaker Abdullah Bleihaq added that the chamber also voted unanimously to appoint President Aguilah Saleh as the army's high commander, in accordance with the constitutional declaration.
As of March 2022 there are two governments in Libya. Only the GNU, based in Tripoli, is internationally recognised. From the Libyan capital, the executive led by Dbeibe administers the entire western part of the country.
The second executive, headed by Hammad, was appointed by parliament and is based in Benghazi, from where it controls all of eastern Libya and southern cities.
Since the beginning of 2022, the Benghazi parliament has expressed its distrust of the Dbeibe-led government in Tripoli, which is why it appointed the other government, which has not yet been able to assume its functions in the Libyan capital due to Dbeibe's refusal to hand over power until the presidential and legislative elections, postponed from December 2021.
Saleh explained that a government's mandate should not last more than one year, extendable for another one-year period, which means that the GNU lost its legitimacy more than five years ago.
For this reason, Saleh has called for working to form a unified authority that will fight for territorial integrity, achieve a fair distribution of wealth and equal rights between regions, and put an end to the crisis that has plagued the country for decades.
"The parliament seeks to form a unified authority that can govern and achieve justice," Saleh stressed, noting that the capital, Tripoli, has fallen under the control of armed gangs.
Regarding consultations related to the unification of power, a tripartite meeting between the heads of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Council of State and the Presidential Council was held in Cairo with the assistance of the Arab League.
In this regard, Saleh announced an agreement to "form a unified government" and the holding of another meeting with the aim of developing a mechanism to select it.
Parliament's vote comes on the heels of the failed attempt by the Council of State to renew its presidency, as well as rumours that the President of the Presidential Council allegedly intends to overthrow the Governor of Libya's Central Bank, Al-Siddiq Al-Kabir, which would obstruct Libya's access to international financial markets.
GNU rejects parliament's decision, Haftar supports it
As expected, Dbeibe has not recognised the parliament's decision to end his government's mandate, considering Osama Hammad's government a "parallel authority that does not enjoy international recognition". From Tripoli, the GNU has already announced its rejection of the recent results of the House of Representatives, reiterating its intention to remain in power until presidential and legislative elections are held.
"The decisions of the House of Representatives, which do not change reality in any way, are statements and positions issued by a political party fighting to extend its years in power, not by a legislative authority representing the entire Libyan nation," the GNU added in a statement.
For his part, the commander of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar - a key player on the Libyan political scene - welcomed the parliament's decision, while Hammad's government called on all authorities to implement it, also calling on countries and organisations to support it and direct their embassies to Benghazi instead of Tripoli.
This situation intensifies the division in Libya and raises fears of a new violent escalation in the country that would deepen the political crisis. Meanwhile, Libyan citizens await the long-awaited presidential and parliamentary elections postponed from December 2021.