House of Representatives (Libya)

House of Representatives
مجلس النواب
Majlis al-Nuwaab
History
Founded 4 August 2014 (2014-08-04)
Leadership
Chairman
Aguila Saleh Issa, Independent
Since 5 August 2014
Vice-Chairs
Imhemed Shaib
Ahmed Huma
Since 5 August 2014
Seats 200
Elections
Parallel voting; 40 seats through first-past-the-post in single-member constituencies, 80 seats through single non-transferable vote in 29 multi-member constituencies, and 80 seats through proportional representation
Last election
 25 June 2014
Meeting place
Dar al-Salam Hotel
Tobruk, Libya[1]
Website
http://www.libyan-parliament.org
Libya
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Libya
Legislature

The House of Representatives (HoR) (Arabic: مجلس النواب‎, translit. Majlis al-Nuwaab, lit. 'Council of Deputies', Italian: Camera dei rappresentanti libica) is the legislature of Libya. As part of the ongoing Libyan Civil War, it represents the "Tobruk government" based in the east of the country.

Formation

It took power on 4 August 2014, following an election on 25 June 2014, replacing the General National Congress.[2][3] Turnout at the election was 18%,[4] down from 60% in the first post-Gaddafi election of July 2012.[5] Because of security concerns no voting took place in some locations.[6]

The current chairman is Aguila Saleh Issa.[7][8][9] The current deputy presidents of the Council of Deputies are Imhemed Shaib and Ahmed Huma.[10] The HoR's associated executive authority is the interim government (Second Al-Thani Cabinet) under Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani. based in Bayda, Libya[11].

The Tripoli-based Libyan Supreme Constitutional Court ruled on 6 November 2014 that the June elections were unconstitutional and that the House of Representatives should be dissolved while it was surrounded by armed militias. The House of Representatives rejected the ruling, saying it was made "at gunpoint".[12]

In late 2014, a rival parliament in Tripoli was proclaimed called the New General National Congress.[13][14] The House of Representatives did not recognize the new GNC, and voted on 6 October 2015, 112 out of 131, "to extend its term beyond 20 October", given the inability to hold elections.[13]

Government of National Accord

In October 2015, the UN envoy for Libya, Bernardino León, announced a proposal for the House of Representatives to share power with the rival Islamist-led new GNC government, under a compromise prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj. However, the terms of the final proposal were not acceptable to either side, and both rejected it.[15] Nonetheless, the proposal did spark a revised proposal put together by Fayez al-Sarraj and others, which was subsequently supported by the United Nations.[16] On 17 December 2015 members of the House of Representatives and the new General National Congress signed this revised political agreement, generally known as the "Libyan Political Agreement" or the "Skhirat Agreement".[17][18] Under the terms of the agreement, a nine-member Presidency Council and a seventeen-member interim Government of National Accord would have been formed, with a view to holding new elections within two years.[17] The House of Representatives would have continued to exist as a legislature and an advisory body, to be known as the High Council of State, would have been formed with members nominated by the New General National Congress.[19] On 31 December 2015, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh Issa declared his support for the Libyan Political Agreement.[18]

As of April 2016, the Libyan National Elections Commission was still considering its recommendations on legislation to implement the next election of the House of Representatives.[20]

A new round of talks that started in October 2017 in Tunis broke down a month later without a deal. On 17 December 2017, general Khalifa Haftar declared the "so-called" Shkirat agreement void.[21]

Location

Following the occupation of Tripoli by armed Islamist groups during the Second Libyan Civil War, the House of Representatives relocated to Tobruk in the far east of the country. Since there was not enough housing for them, they initially hired a car ferry[22] from a Greek shipping company, the Elyros of ANEK Lines, for members to live and meet in.[23][24] Later the House relocated to the Dar al-Salam Hotel in Tobruk.[25][26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Libya's parliament allies with renegade general, struggling to assert authority". Ahram Online. AFP. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Lamloum, Imed. "Libya power handover agreed as airport battle rages on". Agence France-Presse (AFP). Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Libya's new parliament meets in Tobruk". Libya Herald. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ "Libyans mourn rights activist amid turmoil". Al Jazeera English. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "Braving Areas of Violence, Voters Try to Reshape Libya". New York Times. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Jawad, Rana (26 June 2014). "Libyan elections: Low turnout marks bid to end political crisis". BBC News. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "Ageela Issa elected as president of House of Representatives". Libya Herald. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  8. ↑ "Jurist elected Libya parliament speaker". Middle East Online. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "New Parliament Elects East Libya Jurist As Speaker". Haberler. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  10. ↑ "Parliament elects deputy presidents". Libya Herald. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  11. ↑ "Chaos in Libya: A Background Who is Who in Libya". February 2017.
  12. ↑ "Libyan court rules elected parliament illegal". Al Jazeera English. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Libya's parliament extends mandate". BBC News. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  14. ↑ "Rival Libyan lawmakers sign proposal for peace deal". Yahoo. Reuters. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  15. ↑ Associated Press (19 October 2015). "Libyan officials reject UN-proposed unity deal with rival government". The Guardian. Benghazi.
  16. ↑ UN Security Council Resolution 2259 of 23 December 2015
  17. 1 2 Kingsley, Patrick (17 December 2015). "Libyan politicians sign UN peace deal to unify rival governments". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015.
  18. 1 2 Zaptia, Sami (1 January 2016). "Ageela Salah now supports UN-brokered Skhirat agreement: Kobler". Libya Herald. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. (Subscription required (help)).
  19. ↑ "Libyan deal on course, but who is on board?". Al Arabiya. 25 December 2015.
  20. ↑ "The Audit Committee for reviewing and developing electoral legislations continue to hold meetings". Libyan High National Elections Commission. 15 April 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016.
  21. ↑ "Q&A: What's happening in Libya?". Al Jazeera. 20 December 2017.
  22. ↑ Stephen, Chris (2014-09-09). "Libyan parliament takes refuge in Greek car ferry". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-05-14.
  23. ↑ "Libya: Cruise ship hired as 'floating hotel for MPs'". BBC News. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  24. ↑ Goldhammer, Zach (13 September 2014). "On the Greek Ferry Housing Libya's Government". The Atlantic. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  25. ↑ Laessing, Ulf (2 October 2014). "Insight - Libya's runaway parliament seeks refuge in Tobruk bubble". Reuters UK. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  26. ↑ "Libya's government holed up in a 1970s hotel". BBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
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