Historic session in Sabha attended by more than 90 MPs
LIBYA – Misbah Douma, the House of Representatives’ Second Deputy Speaker, has said the parliamentary session held in the city of Sabha on Monday, 2 November 2026, was the first of its kind in the history of the legislature since the founding of the Libyan state, adding that more than 90 MPs took part and discussed legislative, development and financial files.
Vote on the conscription and general mobilisation law
In a statement after the session, published on the House’s official website, Douma said members had discussed and voted on the Conscription and General Mobilisation Law, including raising the conscription age to 18 in response to local and international demands put forward by various institutions.
Four strands of Fezzan development projects
He added that the file on projects in the south covered four strands, the first being the completion of public housing projects under way in Sabha to provide adequate homes for residents.
The second covered repairs to the 400-kilovolt power grid, which suffered extensive damage from sabotage after 2011. He said proposals and projects had been received from MPs, the government and community notables, and that decisions allocating the necessary budgets for their implementation would be prepared.
The third concerned the Fezzan refinery owned by Zallaf. Douma said parliament had previously corresponded on releasing the funds needed for the refinery in order to end fuel shortages in the south, and that members had approved the file unanimously.
The fourth related to road projects totalling more than 700 kilometres to link the towns and areas of Fezzan, which he said had been approved and whose implementation would be followed up.
Further sessions in Zintan and a possible visit to Tripoli
Douma thanked the people of Fezzan for their hospitality and cooperation, and Sabha University for hosting parliament while maintenance work is carried out at the House’s headquarters, formerly known as the People’s Hall, which is being prepared for use as its permanent venue for regular sessions.
He stressed that the Sabha session would not be the last and that further sessions would be held whenever conditions allow under Law No. 4 of 2014, which regulates their convening. He pointed to arrangements for the next session in the city of Zintan and said a visit by the Speaker of the House to Tripoli in the coming period was highly likely.
Naji Issa’s resignation accepted and Fawzi Abukhzam assigned
Douma said the House had discussed the file of the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya and voted to accept the resignation of former governor Dr Naji Issa and to assign the bank’s board member Dr Fawzi Musbah Abukhzam as governor.
He described the step as a guarantee that the bank’s work would continue in the face of possible obstacles from local and international parties, and welcomed the approval of a majority of MPs and the settling of the file.
Teachers’ strike and salary differentials
Turning to the suspension of classes for more than 50 days, he expressed hope that teachers would reconsider their position in light of the harm the disruption to education is causing citizens, while stressing the importance of teachers and their role in the public sector.
He referred to contacts over paying part of teachers’ salary differentials for October, expressing hope that the step would encourage a return to classes.
Salary scale still a proposal, not a draft law
On the unified salary scale, Douma said the version circulating on social media had been submitted by the finance minister in the Dbeibah government and had not yet become a draft law, but had been referred to the committee handling the salary file for study.
He expressed hope that, once reviewed, the scale would bring fairness among citizens and improve their living standards.
Douma concluded by describing the Sabha session and its decisions as among parliament’s most important sessions of 2026, calling on people to follow the House’s work and to exercise public oversight, which allows the performance of parliament to be assessed and mistakes corrected through free voices in society, and renewed his thanks to all.
