Libyan parliament session disrupted as security forces surround Benghazi headquarters

Tensions escalated within Libya’s House of Representatives in Benghazi after forces loyal to the General Command surrounded the parliament’s headquarters, preventing dissenting lawmakers from holding a scheduled session to discuss amendments to internal regulations and the mechanisms for electing the parliamentary leadership. This comes amid ongoing disputes over the legal quorum and the validity of decisions made during the September 14 session.

A group of 64 lawmakers who boycotted the September 14 session insist that a quorum requires the presence of 87 members. They have threatened to hold a new session with the required quorum, chaired by the oldest member, and to take steps toward selecting new parliamentary leadership.

According to previous statements, the boycotting MPs believe that amending the internal regulations should precede discussions on other issues. Disagreements also persist over the term of the parliamentary leadership and the procedures for electing the presidency.

The September 14 session was chaired by Speaker Aguila Saleh, during which the House of Representatives announced unanimous approval of the “4+4” Joint Committee agreement. However, there were conflicting reports about the number of MPs present. Member Abdulmonem Al-Arfi said around 40 lawmakers attended, while other parliamentary sources cited even fewer.

This discrepancy has fueled ongoing disputes over whether the session met the legal quorum and the legitimacy of its decisions. Meanwhile, House spokesperson Abdullah Bliheg announced the unanimous adoption of the “4+4” agreement and the approval of recommendations from the committee tasked with restructuring the High National Elections Commission’s board.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya welcomed the House’s endorsement of the “4+4” agreement, calling it an important step toward advancing the political process and elections. The mission also noted a joint statement signed by 103 MPs in support of the agreement.

The current dispute follows a meeting in Ankara between Speaker Aguila Saleh and High Council of State President Mohamed Takala, which resulted in an agreement to resume the work of the “6+6” committee responsible for electoral laws.

As a result, debate continues within Libya’s political landscape along two parallel tracks: the UN-backed “4+4” agreement and the reactivation of the “6+6” committee focused on electoral legislation.