Summary:

On 3 March 2026, Libyan Presidential Council President Mohamed al-Menfi warned Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah that the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) should limit itself to managing current affairs, opposing the prime minister’s recent cabinet appointments which Menfi viewed as beyond GNU’s mandate.  

The warning followed Dbeibah’s decision to appoint Salem Mustafa al-Alim as Minister of Culture and Mohamed Abdel Salam al-Qaryou as Minister of Education. 

In a letter, al-Menfi argued that any reshuffle of senior positions requires broad national consensus and must comply with the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat. The dispute highlights ongoing institutional tensions within Libya’s UN-backed political framework established in 2021 and the continued fragmentation between rival authorities in the country. 

Outlook: 

The dispute between Dbeibah and Al-Menfi reflects Libya’s ongoing political polarization and may increase tensions between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and authorities in eastern Libya.  

As Abdulhamid Dbeibah is being accused of taking unilateral decisions, such as cabinet appointments, this may increasingly become a focal point of political disagreement between rival institutions. 

With these developments, further disputes could deepen divisions between western and eastern political blocs, as rival authorities continue to assert competing claims to legitimacy and control over governance. More importantly, they may signal a continuation of security instability and reduce the country’s appeal for stabilization efforts and potential foreign investment. 

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