For several years, the Libyan state has been grappling with immense challenges arising from political complexities and severe economic crises. These circumstances have significantly prolonged the institutional division that has burdened the nation and intensified the daily suffering of its citizens. In light of this deteriorating landscape, there is an urgent necessity for a decisive national movement to break the current deadlock and open pathways toward stability. This prompted the Prime Minister of the Libyan Government, Osama Hammad, to launch a national initiative to restructure the executive authority and unify the ranks of sovereign institutions.
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Dr. Osama Hammad addressed a formal communication to the primary stakeholders in the political process, including the House of Representatives, the High Council of State, and the Presidential Council. He urged them to engage immediately in a transparent and urgent national dialogue. This initiative centres on reaching a consensus to form a unified government that represents all Libyans. Such a government would have clearly defined tasks and powers, working within a binding timeframe to end the state of fragmentation and establish the necessary political, security, and logistical environment for holding the long-awaited national elections, grounded in a robust constitutional and legal framework agreed upon by all parties.
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This move by the Prime Minister comes at a critical juncture. Hammad described the current phase as one of the most complicated periods in the country’s modern history, noting that the crisis is no longer merely a power struggle between competing political factions. Instead, it has evolved into a structural dilemma affecting the state’s core and its service institutions. Hammad warned that the continued disruption of executive and constitutional paths threatens the chances of economic recovery and poses an existential threat to Libya’s unity. He emphasised in his address that national and historical responsibility dictates that all parties must rise above narrow partisan or personal interests and work in a spirit of national consensus to prioritise the country’s interests above all else.
Many analysts and observers of Libyan affairs think that unifying the executive authority is the sole entry point to decoding the current crisis. A single, strong government would directly contribute to ending institutional duality and enhancing the efficiency of government spending and financial stability. This, in turn, would lead to restoring citizens’ confidence in their state after years of frustration. In this context, Hammad stressed that the solution requires courageous decisions and a solid political will capable of moving from words to actions.
In a related context, Hammad had previously demonstrated political flexibility when he called on the head of the Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, for a direct dialogue to address the financial challenges ravaging the country. He suggested as an alternative that the general interest be prioritised by stepping aside to allow new leadership to unify the institutions. These calls coincided with moves by Dbeibeh to conduct a ministerial reshuffle, which his media office justified as an effort to improve service performance and fill vacancies. However, these steps faced strong legal and political opposition.
Specifically, the position of the Head of the Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, emerged prominently as he explicitly rejected these ministerial changes. Al-Menfi considered them a departure from the spirit of the Libyan Political Agreement and a violation of the Constitutional Declaration, warning that such unilateral steps could turn the government into a mere caretaker entity, stripping it of its consensual legitimacy. Conversely, al-Menfi showed notable welcome for Osama Hammad’s call to complete the national dialogue. He called for the resumption of talks under the auspices of the Arab League and suggested that Libyan cities such as Sirte, Benghazi, or Ghadames host these sessions in the presence of international observers to ensure a political path that leads to the unification of authority and brings Libya to safety through the ballot box