House of Representatives (Libya) explained

Libyan House of Representatives
Native Name:مجلس النواب
Native Name Lang:ar
Transcription Name:
Coa Pic:Libyan House of Representatives logo.png
Leader1 Type:Speaker
Leader1:Aguila Saleh Issa
Party1:(Independent)
Election1:5 August 2014
Election2:20 February 2020
Leader3 Type:Deputy-Speakers
Leader3:Imhemed Shaib
Ahmed Huma
Election3:5 August 2014
Leader4 Type:Rapporteur
Leader4:Musaab al-Abed
Election5:5 May 2019
Members:200
Voting System1:Parallel voting
40 seats through first-past-the-post in single-member constituencies, 80 seats through single non-transferable vote in 29 multi-member constituencies, and 80 seats through proportional representation
Last Election1:25 June 2014
Meeting Place:Dar al-Salam Hotel
Tobruk, Libya;[1]
Rixos al-Nasr Hotel
Tripoli, Libya
Islamic Dawa Building,
Benghazi, Libya[2]
Preceded By:General National Congress
Website:https://parliament.ly

The Libyan House of Representatives (HoR; Arabic: مجلس النواب|translit=Majlis al-Nuwaab|translation=Council of Deputies) is the legislature of Libya resulting from the 2014 Libyan parliamentary election, which had an 18% turnout.[3] [4] On 4 August 2014, in the course of the progressing August 2014 Islamist coup in the capital Tripoli in the context of the Libyan Civil War, the House of Representatives relocated itself to Tobruk in the far east of Libya. Several HoR sessions were held in Tripoli in May 2019 while Tripoli was under armed attack, electing an Interim Speaker for 45 days. Between 2014 and 2021, the House of Representatives supported the Tobruk-based government led by Abdullah al-Thani before supporting the incumbent Government of National Unity led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh. In September 2021, the House of Representatives passed a no-confidence motion against the interim GNU government and later appointed a rival Government of National Stability (GNS).[5]

History

Formation

The Libyan House of Representatives officially became a legislative body on 4 August 2014, following an election on 25 June 2014, replacing the General National Congress.[6] [7] Turnout at the election was 18%,[8] down from 60% in the first post-Gaddafi election of July 2012.[9] Because of security concerns no voting took place in some locations.[10]

the chairman was Aguila Saleh Issa.[11] [12] [13] the deputy presidents of the Council of Deputies were Imhemed Shaib and Ahmed Huma.[14], the HoR's associated executive authority was the Second Al-Thani Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani, based in Bayda, Libya.[15]

The Tripoli-based Libyan Supreme Constitutional Court ruled on 6 November 2014 that the June elections were unconstitutional and that the House of Representatives should be dissolved. The House of Representatives rejected the ruling, saying that the ruling was made "at gunpoint", with the court being controlled by armed militias.[16]

On 23 August 2014, a rival parliament in Tripoli was restored, the General National Congress (GNC).[17] [18] The House of Representatives did not recognize the new GNC, and voted on 6 October 2015, 112 out of 131, "to extend its term beyond 20 October", given the inability to hold elections.

Shift to Tobruk

On 4 August 2014, following the occupation of Tripoli by armed Islamist groups during the Second Libyan Civil War, the House of Representatives relocated to Tobruk in the far east of the country. Since there was not enough housing for them, they initially hired a car ferry[19] from a Greek shipping company, the Elyros of ANEK Lines, for members to live and meet in.[20] [21] Later the HoR relocated to the Dar al-Salam Hotel in Tobruk.[22] [23]

Skhirat agreement

In October 2015, the UN envoy for Libya, Bernardino León, announced a proposal for the House of Representatives to share power with the rival new GNC government, under a compromise prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj. However, the terms of the final proposal were not acceptable to either side, and both rejected it.[24] Nonetheless, the proposal did spark a revised proposal put together by Fayez al-Sarraj and others, which was subsequently supported by the United Nations.[25] On 17 December 2015 members of the House of Representatives and the new General National Congress signed this revised political agreement, generally known as the "Libyan Political Agreement" or the "Skhirat Agreement".[26] [27] Under the terms of the agreement, a nine-member Presidency Council and a seventeen-member interim Government of National Accord would have been formed, with a view to holding new elections within two years. The House of Representatives would have continued to exist as a legislature and an advisory body, to be known as the High Council of State, would have been formed with members nominated by the New General National Congress.[28] On 31 December 2015, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh Issa declared his support for the Libyan Political Agreement.

As of April 2016, the Libyan National Elections Commission was still considering its recommendations on legislation to implement the next election of the House of Representatives.[29]

A new round of talks that started in October 2017 in Tunis broke down a month later without a deal. On 17 December 2017, general Khalifa Haftar declared the "so-called" Skhirat agreement void.[30]

2019 Tripoli meetings

Early in April 2019, during the 2019–20 Western Libya campaign, 31 members of the House of Representatives made a public statement supporting the attack on Tripoli and 49 members made a public statement opposing the attack. On 2 May, 51 members of the HoR held a session at the Rixos al-Nasr Hotel. They stated that their session was not intended to split up the HoR nor Libya and called other members of the HoR to attend another Tripoli session planned for 5 May. They opposed the use of military force, called for a political solution to the offensive, and called for the Presidential Council, in its role as the head of the Libyan armed forces, to appoint a new head of the army to replace Khalifa Haftar, who had been appointed by the HoR on 2 March 2015.

On 5 May, a Tripoli session of 47 members of the House of Representatives elected al-Sadiq al-Kehili as Interim Speaker, Musaab al-Abed as a rapporteur and Hammuda Siala[31] as a spokesperson, for a period of 45 days, with 27 votes in favour.In the 2014 Libyan parliamentary election, al-Kehili was elected with 1596 votes in electorate 56, Tajura; Musaab al-Abed (Musab Abulgasim) was elected with 2566 votes in electorate 59, Hay al-Andalus; and Sayala (Siyala) was elected with 6023 votes in electorate 58, Tripoli Central. On 8 May, another session was held in Tripoli, creating an Internal Code Review committee, to review HoR decisions made since 2014, under Article 16 of the Skhirat Agreement; an International Communication committee; a Secretarial Office; and a Crisis committee, to "follow" the work of the emergency committee created by the Presidential Council in relation to the 2019 Western Libya offensive. Sayala stated in a televised interview that solving the crisis in Libya would require a political agreement in which the HoR is "restored" as the highest legislative authority in Libya.

Disappearances

On 17 July 2019, one of the Benghazi members of the House of Representatives, Seham Sergewa, well-known for her documentation of rape as a weapon of war during the 2011 Libyan Civil War, was detained by the Libyan National Army (LNA)., her location was unknown.

Government of National Unity

On 10 March 2021, the House of Representatives met in the central city of Sirte to formally approve the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Mohamed al-Menfi as chairman of the Presidential Council and Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh as Prime Minister. 121 members of the House voted to approve the formation of the unity government.[32] The Government of National Unity was seeking to unify the rival Government of National Accord based in Tripoli and the Second Al-Thani Cabinet based in Tobruk.

On 21 September, the House of Representatives passed a no-confidence vote against the GNU led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh after 83 out of the 113 members present voted for the motion, thus practically acknowledging support for the Government of National Stability.

Government of National Stability

On 10 February 2022, the House of Representatives selected Fathi Bashagha as prime minister-designate, after HoR Speaker Aguila Saleh announced the only other candidate, Khalid Al-Baybas, withdrew his candidacy. However, Al-Baybas has denied withdrawing from the race.[33] Prime Minister of the GNU Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh rejected Bashagha's appointment as prime minister, stating that he will only hand power after a national election.[34] Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army welcomed Bashagha's appointment.[35] Civilian and military leaders in Misrata rejected the formation of a new government and declared support for the GNU.[36] Egypt's foreign ministry supported the “new government,” but the United Nations said it continued to recognize Mr. Dbeiba's leadership.[37]

On 1 March, the House of Representatives voted to give confidence to Bashagha's Government of National Stability (GNS). According to HoR Speaker Saleh, 92 out of 101 attending members voted for the new government.[38] A HoR member raised questions about the validity of the vote by stating that 10 votes from absent members were cast via voice messages sent to the Speaker.[39] The High Council of State rejected "unilateral" steps by the HoR and regards the HoR decision to grant confidence to a new government a violation of the Libyan Political Agreement.[40] The United Nations has voiced concerns over the vote due to reports on lack of transparency and procedure, and acts of intimidation prior to the HoR session.[41]

On 16 May 2023, Finance Minister Osama Hamada was appointed acting Prime Minister of Libya by the House of Representatives.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Libya's parliament allies with renegade general, struggling to assert authority. Ahram Online. AFP. 20 October 2014. 20 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20151007150739/http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/113535.aspx. 7 October 2015. live.
  2. Web site: معالي النائب الثاني رفقة معالي رئيس الديوان يقومان بجولة تفقدية لمقر مجلس النواب بمبنى الدعوة الإسلامية. 6 August 2021. His Excellency the Second Deputy, accompanied by His Excellency the Chief of Staff, they are conducting an inspection tour of the House of Representatives headquarters in the Islamic Call Building. 23 June 2023. 30 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211230202732/https://parliament.ly/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%82%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84/. live.
  3. Web site: Libyans mourn rights activist amid turmoil. Al-Jazeera. 26 June 2014. 28 August 2014. 28 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140628092251/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/libyans-mourn-rights-activist-amid-turmoil-2014626161436740827.html. live.
  4. Web site: Jabal Nefusa towns declare boycott of the House of Representatives . Libya Herald . 19 August 2014 . 6 January 2015 . 21 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140821032108/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/19/jabal-nefusa-towns-boycott-the-house-of-representatives-over-tobruk-meetings/ . live .
  5. Web site: 21 September 2021. Libya's parliament passes no-confidence vote in unity government. 11 February 2022. Al Jazeera. en. 21 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210921143813/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/21/libya-parliament-withdraws-confidence-from-unity-government. live.
  6. Web site: Lamloum. Imed. Libya power handover agreed as airport battle rages on. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 26 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140812192601/http://news.yahoo.com/libyas-congress-says-hand-power-parliament-august-4-115948954.html. 12 August 2014. live.
  7. News: Libya's new parliament meets in Tobruk. 4 August 2014. Libya Herald. 4 August 2014 . subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20140806165448/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/04/libyas-new-parliament-meets-in-tobruk/ . 2014-08-06. dead.
  8. News: Libyans mourn rights activist amid turmoil. Al Jazeera English. 26 June 2014. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20180116162736/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/libyans-mourn-rights-activist-amid-turmoil-2014626161436740827.html. 16 January 2018. live.
  9. News: Braving Areas of Violence, Voters Try to Reshape Libya. New York Times. 7 July 2012. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140710043951/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/world/africa/libyans-vote-in-first-election-in-more-than-40-years.html. 10 July 2014. live.
  10. News: Jawad. Rana. 26 June 2014. Libyan elections: Low turnout marks bid to end political crisis. BBC News. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140812093413/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28005801. 12 August 2014. live.
  11. News: Ageela Issa elected as president of House of Representatives. 5 August 2014. Libya Herald. 5 August 2014. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20140807220345/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/05/ageela-issa-elected-as-new-head-of-house-of-reps/. 7 August 2014. live.
  12. News: Jurist elected Libya parliament speaker. 6 August 2014. Middle East Online. 5 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808065639/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=67441. 8 August 2014. dead.
  13. News: New Parliament Elects East Libya Jurist As Speaker. 6 August 2014. Haberler. 5 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222528/http://en.haberler.com/new-parliament-elects-east-libya-jurist-as-speaker-506548/. 4 March 2016. dead.
  14. News: Parliament elects deputy presidents. 6 August 2014. Libya Herald. 5 August 2014. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808025025/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/05/64533/#axzz39PFjzBKg. 8 August 2014. live.
  15. Web site: Chaos in Libya: A Background Who is Who in Libya. February 2017. 27 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170826055212/http://www.ispionline.it/en/articles/article/sicurezza-mediterraneo-medio-oriente/chaos-libya-background-16290. 26 August 2017. dead.
  16. Web site: Libyan court rules elected parliament illegal. Al Jazeera English. 6 November 2014. 6 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20180211045633/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/11/libyan-court-suspends-un-backed-parliament-201411691057750925.html. 11 February 2018. live.
  17. News: Libya's parliament extends mandate . BBC News . 6 October 2015 . 6 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151006222002/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34450840 . 6 October 2015 . live .
  18. News: Rival Libyan lawmakers sign proposal for peace deal . Yahoo . Reuters . 6 December 2015 . 7 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151209122112/http://news.yahoo.com/libyas-parliament-general-national-congress-sign-declaration-principles-022212299.html . 9 December 2015 . live .
  19. Web site: Libyan parliament takes refuge in Greek car ferry. Stephen. Chris. 2014-09-09. the Guardian. 2016-05-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20140916072346/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/09/libyan-parliament-refuge-greek-car-ferry. 16 September 2014. live.
  20. News: Libya: Cruise ship hired as 'floating hotel for MPs'. 14 September 2014. BBC News. 21 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140913164822/http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-28879565. 13 September 2014. live.
  21. News: Goldhammer. Zach. On the Greek Ferry Housing Libya's Government. 20 October 2014. The Atlantic. 13 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20151006121509/http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/09/on-the-greek-ferry-housing-libyas-government/380145/. 6 October 2015. live.
  22. Web site: Insight - Libya's runaway parliament seeks refuge in Tobruk bubble. Ulf. Laessing. 2 October 2014. Reuters UK. 26 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150118212920/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/02/uk-libya-security-insight-idUKKCN0HR1GD20141002. 18 January 2015. live.
  23. News: Libya's government holed up in a 1970s hotel. BBC News. 16 October 2014. 26 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151129034855/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29603393. 29 November 2015. live.
  24. News: Libyan officials reject UN-proposed unity deal with rival government . The Guardian . 19 October 2015 . Associated Press . Benghazi . 17 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151118161758/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/19/libya-un-unity-government-power-sharing-rejection . 18 November 2015 . live .
  25. UN Security Council Resolution 2259 of 23 December 2015
  26. News: Patrick . Kingsley . 17 December 2015 . Libyan politicians sign UN peace deal to unify rival governments . The Guardian . https://web.archive.org/web/20151217161008/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/libyan-politicians-sign-un-peace-deal-unify-rival-governments . 17 December 2015. live.
  27. News: Sami . Zaptia . Ageela Salah now supports UN-brokered Skhirat agreement: Kobler . 1 January 2016 . Libya Herald . https://web.archive.org/web/20160224053305/https://www.libyaherald.com/2016/01/01/ageela-salah-now-supports-un-brokered-skhirat-agreement-kobler/ . 24 February 2016 . live. subscription.
  28. News: Libyan deal on course, but who is on board?. 25 December 2015. Al Arabiya. 28 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160128175153/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2015/12/25/Libyan-deal-on-course-but-who-is-on-board-.html. 28 January 2016. live.
  29. Web site: The Audit Committee for reviewing and developing electoral legislations continue to hold meetings. Libyan High National Elections Commission . 15 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160418005042/http://hnec.ly/en/?p=8003 . 18 April 2016 . live.
  30. Web site: Q&A: What's happening in Libya?. Al Jazeera. 20 December 2017. 20 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171220234944/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/qa-happening-libya-171220114305008.html. 20 December 2017. live.
  31. Web site: Hammouda Sayala re-elected as Speaker of Parliament in Tripoli for second term The Libya Observer. 2020-11-10. www.libyaobserver.ly. en. 17 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201117060951/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/hammouda-sayala-re-elected-speaker-parliament-tripoli-second-term. live.
  32. Web site: Libya lawmakers approve interim govt in key step towards elections. 11 March 2021. 10 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210310124538/https://news.yahoo.com/libya-lawmakers-approve-interim-govt-121633479.html. live.
  33. News: Assad. Abdulkader. 13 February 2022. Al-Baybas denies withdrawing from PM candidacy contrary to HoR Speaker's remarks. Libya Observer. 13 February 2022. 13 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220213170147/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/al-baybas-denies-withdrawing-pm-candidacy-contrary-hor-speaker%E2%80%99s-remarks. dead.
  34. News: 10 February 2022. Libya rifts deepen as new PM named, incumbent refuses to yield. Reuters. 10 February 2022. 10 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220210115954/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/libyan-parliament-moves-towards-vote-new-prime-minister-2022-02-10/. live.
  35. News: 10 February 2022. Libya: Tobruk parliament names new PM, fuelling division. Al Jazeera. 10 February 2022. 10 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220210162231/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/10/libya-tobruk-parliament-names-new-pm-fueling-divisions. live.
  36. News: Alharathy. Safa. 12 February 2022. Misrata rejects Parliament decision to form 'parallel government'. Libya Observer. 12 February 2022. 12 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220212100208/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/misrata-rejects-parliament-decision-form-parallel-government. live.
  37. News: Yee. Vivian. Abdusamee. Mohammed. 2022-02-10. Libya Slides Deeper Into Chaos as Parliament Picks New Government. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-02-12. 0362-4331. 9 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220309140142/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/world/middleeast/libya-tripoli-parliament-election.html. live.
  38. News: Assad . Abdulkader . 1 March 2022 . Libya's Parliament gives confidence to Bashagha's government . . 1 March 2022 . 1 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220301180120/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/libya%E2%80%99s-parliament-gives-confidence-bashaghas-government . dead .
  39. News: 1 March 2022 . Libya parliament backs new government as crisis deepens . . 1 March 2022 . 1 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220301163517/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/libya-parliament-backs-new-government-crisis-escalates-2022-03-01/ . live .
  40. News: Alharathy . Safa . 1 March 2022 . HCS: Granting confidence to a new government violates Political Agreement . . 2 March 2022 . 2 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220302000359/https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/hcs-granting-confidence-new-government-violates-political-agreement . dead .
  41. News: 3 March 2022 . UN voices concern over vote on new Libyan prime minister . . 3 March 2022 . 3 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220303084632/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/3/un-voices-concern-over-vote-on-new-libyan-prime-minister . live .

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