Summary:

On 6 October 2026, Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives voted to replace longtime speaker Aguila Saleh with Al-Salhin Abdulnabi, amid growing discontent over Saleh’s leadership and efforts to limit the speaker’s term to 12 months. 

Analysts linked the reshuffle to Saddam Haftar’s efforts to increase his influence over parliament and secure support for potential political arrangements, including the formation of a new government. 

The change has also exposed differing regional interests, as Egypt has traditionally regarded Saleh as a trusted interlocutor. The United States welcomed the new parliamentary leadership, while Abdulnabi endorsed the US peace initiative and the 4+4 mini-dialogue agreement as possible routes toward presidential and parliamentary elections, pledging that parliament would pursue the constitutional amendments needed to implement an agreement. 

Outlook: 

The leadership change appears to follow a series of developments that may have helped prepare the ground for Aguila Saleh’s removal, including reports of disagreements between Haftar’s sons over his role as parliament speaker and increased meetings between Saddam Haftar and influential Western figures. 

Saddam’s growing influence over the House of Representatives could help consolidate the Haftar family’s control over eastern Libya’s political institutions and secure parliamentary backing for future political arrangements. 

However, the reshuffle does not resolve Libya’s wider struggle over political authority, as the Tripoli-based government and the High State Council remain key actors whose positions will shape any settlement. Egypt’s longstanding relationship with Saleh adds another layer of uncertainty, particularly if his removal alters Cairo’s engagement with eastern Libya’s political leadership. 

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