Libya’s eastern-based parliament has ousted its Speaker, Aguila Saleh, after nearly 12 years in office amid growing discontent among lawmakers over his leadership.
Members of the 170-member House of Representatives voted to replace him with Al-Salhin Abdulnabi al-Obeidi, an engineer who represents the city of Tobruk.
The vote came a day after 98 members of the House approved a new system limiting the speaker and deputy speakers to a single 12-month period.
Local media reported that Saleh had previously rejected the proceedings, saying the vote to limit the term was “not official and had no legal effect.”
Saleh has been a staunch supporter of the eastern parliament’s military strongman Khalifa Haftar, but analysts say he appears weakened as the strongman’s sons, particularly Saddam Haftar, consolidate their positions.
Libya has been beset by violence and instability since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The country remains divided between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli and the rival administration in the east backed by Haftar.
Saleh’s removal comes as a United States initiative aimed at reviving the political process and unifying Libya’s institutions is under discussion.
