HoR hears from prime ministerial candidates

Libya’s House of Representatives convened on Tuesday to hear presentations from 12 candidates seeking to become the next prime minister.

The session, chaired by Speaker Aguila Saleh, marked a significant step in efforts to form a new unified government and move towards national elections.

At the opening of the session, the House’s rapporteur clarified that the acceptance of the candidates was provisional, with the day’s agenda limited to the presentation and discussion of each candidate’s proposed programme.

Speaker Saleh used the opportunity to publicly criticise the continued absence of a large number of MPs, some of whom, he said, had not attended sessions in over a year. He suggested that disciplinary measures — including salary suspension or revocation of membership — could be introduced to address chronic absenteeism.

Saleh also announced that the House will soon schedule a separate session to formally select a new prime minister. He added that representatives from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), along with ambassadors from several countries, would be invited to attend as observers, to help ensure transparency and build international confidence.

The Speaker reiterated his hope that the House would garner both domestic and international support in advancing the electoral process and establishing a new government. He stressed that both the House of Representatives and the High Council of State are committed to holding elections and responding to the will of the Libyan people.

According to Saleh, all 12 candidates had received endorsements from over 100 members of the House and a similar number from the State Council — a claim that aligns with reports of coordinated efforts between the two bodies to facilitate political transition.

Despite ongoing concerns over absenteeism, Saleh stated that proceedings were moving forward positively. “Things are proceeding well,” he said, acknowledging that the issue of attendance remained a “sensitive and important matter”.

However, not all political actors are aligned with the process. In recent statements, incumbent Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah denounced the nomination effort as “illusory”, accusing the House of attempting to prolong the transitional period instead of facilitating elections.

The UN has since announced the formation of an advisory committee to propose a roadmap out of the political deadlock, reinforcing international efforts to break the impasse.

The House’s deliberations come at a time of increasing pressure, both locally and internationally, to unify Libya’s fragmented institutions and lay the groundwork for long-delayed national elections.