The Libyan political landscape has been thrust into a state of intense turmoil and widespread debate following the announcement by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), regarding a cabinet reshuffle affecting several key portfolios. This measure was far from a routine administrative update; it has catalyzed a sharp polarization of opinions across the nation. While proponents of the government argue that this step is a vital necessity to revitalize executive performance, inject fresh expertise into service-oriented institutions, and rectify previous failures in public service delivery, the opposing camp views the reshuffle as a unilateral maneuver devoid of any sound legal or constitutional backing. Critics describe it as an attempt to circumvent political consensus, with the true objective being the fortification of the existing power structure and the extension of its tenure. They warn that such actions directly contribute to deepening the institutional divide and further complicating the roadmap toward national elections.
Hammad Launches National Dialogue Initiative to Unify Executive Power
Positions of House of Representatives Members: A Critique of Legislative Violations
The Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) has been the primary source of strong and defiant reactions to this reshuffle, with a series of statements warning of the dire consequences this move may have on the country’s future.
- MP Ali Al-Soul: Warnings Against Obstructing Consensus
In a detailed statement to Al-Masar TV, HoR member Ali Al-Soul emphasized that the ministerial amendments implemented by Dbeibeh can only be described as a flagrant violation of existing Libyan legislation and the political agreements governing the transitional phase. Al-Soul clarified that this individualistic action by the Prime Minister represents a significant obstacle to the path of political consensus that Libyan parties have been striving to build for years. He warned that persisting in such policies will inevitably lead to an escalation of political fragmentation, which will negatively and directly impact security and social stability, creating additional barriers to the aspirations of Libyans for transparent and fair elections that conclude the transitional stages.
- MP Akram Issa: Lack of Legal Foundation and Prolonging the Crisis
For his part, MP Akram Issa stressed that the ministerial reshuffle lacks any solid legal basis, viewing it as a transparent political attempt to prolong the crisis and reinforce the current state of fragmentation. Issa believes these moves remain trapped within “square one” of the Libyan crisis, where power-hungry interests are prioritized over the national interest. He called for an immediate and serious engagement in the preparation process for parliamentary and presidential elections, asserting that the Libyan citizen has completely lost trust in the current figures dominating the scene and that true change comes not from swapping ministers, but from empowering the people to choose their leadership.
- MP Ali Al-Tekbali: An Expired Government
MP Ali Al-Tekbali entered the fray with even sharper rhetoric, asserting that the Libyan political scene today is managed by political bodies that have lost their legal duration and constitutional validity. Al-Tekbali described Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh’s government as “expired,” considering the recent ministerial changes to be nothing more than desperate attempts to remain in power for the longest possible period. He expressed his conviction that the end of all current political bodies is very near and that reality will soon force the inevitability of their departure to make way for a new authority deriving its legitimacy from the ballot boxes.
- MP Rabia Abouras: Unilateral Decisions and the Erosion of Institutional Trust
MP Rabia Abouras offered a critical analytical perspective, suggesting that the ministerial reshuffle reflects the continued mentality of managing the transitional phase through unilateral decisions. Abouras explained that this step was taken outside the framework of the political and institutional consensus stipulated in the Libyan Political Agreement, leading to an erosion of trust between various institutions. Despite noting that the reversal of the decision to impose taxes on goods eased popular tension, she considered this reversal as evidence of the fragility of economic stability, which wavers between parliamentary and social pressures and confused executive decisions, emphasizing that the lack of institutional consensus will remain the greatest obstacle to holding elections.
Government Reforms During Tripartite Meeting
Political analyses focused on the specific types of ministerial portfolios included in the reshuffle and the underlying messages behind these choices.
- Analysis by MP Fahmi Al-Tuwati: Security and Sovereign Balances
MP Fahmi Al-Tuwati explained that the announced amendments did not address the core of the crisis in ministries suffering from actual vacancies but instead moved toward replacing ministers with others in non-sovereign portfolios. Al-Tuwati pointed out that the retention of sovereign ministries, such as Defense and Foreign Affairs, under the management of “undersecretaries” or through direct assignments by the Prime Minister, reflects the significant difficulties Dbeibeh faces in managing delicate balances within the western region, whether in his relationship with the Presidential Council led by Mohamed Al-Menfi or in his dealings with the loyalties of powerful armed groups. Al-Tuwati believes this situation forced the government to keep sensitive portfolios as they are, settling for changes in service ministries that do not hold security weight in Tripoli.
- Youssef Al-Farsi’s Vision: Control Over Defense and Foreign Files
Academic Youssef Al-Farsi agrees with this view, asserting that ignoring sovereign portfolios carries deep political implications; Prime Minister Dbeibeh is keen to keep the primary strings of the defense and foreign relations files in his hands to ensure direct control over military movements and diplomatic dealings in the west of the country. Al-Farsi added that the reshuffle is essentially an attempt to absorb the anger of the Libyan street, which protested against corruption and the misuse of public funds. Thus, the reshuffle served as a “sedative injection” aimed at presenting an image to local and international public opinion that the government is reviewing its performance and providing opportunities for new competencies, while the core of the policies remains unchanged.
- Al-Tuwati and the Failure to Attract the Eastern Region
Fahmi Al-Tuwati also noted that hinting at a ministerial reshuffle previously aimed at attempting to attract certain political actors from the eastern region, including members of parliament, in an effort to find initial stability arrangements. However, the chronic state of mistrust, coupled with rapid security developments in the south, exposed the fragility of this vision and proved that fundamental differences between political parties in the east and west remain significant and cannot be resolved by passing ministerial concessions.
The controversy was not limited to political positions but extended to include the legal legitimacy of these amendments.
The Joint Action Coordination within the High Council of State (HCS) considers that the legitimacy of the Government of National Unity effectively ended since the withdrawal of confidence from it; therefore, its powers are now limited to “caretaker” daily affairs only. From this perspective, implementing any ministerial reshuffle is considered an overstepping of the powers granted to it. Fahmi Al-Tuwati warned that these assignments raise serious legal questions that may affect the future constitutionality of any decision issued by these new ministers, opening the door wide for judicial appeals that may disrupt government work more than it already is.
From a political and ethical standpoint, candidate for the prime ministership Mohamed Al-Mazoughi expressed surprise at the acceptance by some of ministerial positions in such circumstances without a clear legal basis, noting that one cannot sympathize with those who assume responsibility illegally and then leave it in the same manner, referring to the fragility of these appointments.
Dbeibeh Links Government Tenure to Elections and Defines Future Priorities
Reactions from within the High Council of State and political parties
HCS member Saad Bin Sharada believes that what Dbeibeh did is nothing more than “swapping department heads” and not a ministerial reshuffle in the deep political sense. Bin Sharada asserted that Dbeibeh seeks through this illegal procedure to rally influential figures in the western region around him, to appear before the international community—specifically before figures like Massad Boulos—as being in full control of the western region and ready to negotiate from a position of strength with the eastern region and the General Command. Bin Sharada linked the reshuffle to the Ramadan banquets that brought Dbeibeh together with armed group leaders, considering the appointments as part of the price of appeasing these leaders to ensure their loyalty.
The Vice President of the Ummah Party, Ahmed Dougha, criticized the fact that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense remain vacant, considering it evidence of Dbeibeh’s lack of trust in any figure to lead these sensitive files, or his desire to monopolize them for himself. Dougha noted that the government is still following the same previous approach based on “regional quotas” and appeasing areas with military influence, warning that repeating the same experience with new faces will only lead to negative results, because the defect lies in the government’s management style and formation philosophy, not just in the names of the ministers.
The National Gathering of Libyan Parties issued a strong statement asserting that this ministerial reshuffle does not represent the popular will, explicitly calling on the international community not to recognize any amendment implemented unilaterally. The statement warned that such steps entrench division and open the door to multiple governments, emphasizing that Libya’s need lies in a unified national government that brings together the fragments of the country, not a government that increases its tearing and prolongs the transitional phase.
Analyses of the Future Scene: Toward an Alternative Political Path?
Asaad Zheio, a member of the Structured Dialogue Committee, considered the ministerial reshuffles to be a blatant reflection of the state of institutional division. He explained that restructuring the executive authority unilaterally, without coordination with the political camp in the east, may complicate the chances of reaching any future understandings, especially since political opponents may consider these appointments “provocative steps.” Zheio believes this situation may push the UN mission and the international community toward an alternative political path based on the legal frameworks of the political agreement, aimed at addressing core issues related to electoral laws and producing a unified executive authority that effectively leads the country toward the ballot boxes.
In a different reading, Jamal Al-Falah, head of the Libyan Organization for Political Development, believes Dbeibeh is trying to “stir the stagnant waters” and breathe new life into the government by replacing ministers hit by corruption allegations. Al-Falah pointed out that the reshuffle and the meetings with armed leaders aim to unify the ranks in western Libya to form a cohesive bloc possessing real influence in any upcoming negotiations regarding the unification of state institutions, and to send a message to the world that his government remains a difficult number in the equation.
Analyst Khaled Muhammad Al-Hijazi confirmed that the controversy over the reshuffle comes at a time when the Libyan street is suffering from a suffocating living crisis. Al-Hijazi believes the greatest challenge for the new ministers is their ability to improve services and ease economic pressures, while the Prime Minister continues to control the defense and security files to ensure balances within Tripoli, and the foreign file to ensure a diplomatic face in the face of continuous international interference.
Researcher Arhouma Al-Tabal summarized Dbeibeh’s movements as a pre-emption of the formation of a new political scene through three levels:
Political Level: Attempting to take cover under the umbrella of the Presidential Council to legitimize the amendments through the “High Commission for Presidencies” project.
Security Level: Rearranging influence in vital areas such as Zawiya, Tajoura, and Zintan by absorbing figures with local weight to balance the influence of opponents.
Administrative Level: Attempting to reduce the influence of the parallel government in the east by absorbing figures close to its circles of influence.
In conclusion, the latest ministerial reshuffle in Libya remains a mirror reflecting the extent of fragmentation, confirming that any executive change will remain besieged by the walls of division unless it is based on a comprehensive national consensus that ends the transitional stages and puts the country on the track of permanent stability.