Presidential Council's Laws Have No Legal Effect
The Legal Committee of the Libyan House of Representatives has declared recent decrees issued by Presidential Council head Mohamed Al-Mnifi as 'null and void,' claiming they hold no constitutional or legal weight. In a strongly worded statement, the committee accused al-Mnifi of sowing institutional chaos and deepening divisions.
The committee's remarks followed a letter sent by al-Mnifi to the House of Representatives requesting the submission of all laws passed since March 2021 for ratification by the Presidential Council. Al-Mnifi argued that Speaker Ageela Saleh bypassed constitutional procedures by enacting laws unilaterally.
In response, the committee dismissed al-Mnifi's claims as 'weak and irrelevant,' stressing that Libya remains in a transitional phase and that the Council has no authority—either collectively or through its president—to issue decrees or suspend legislation.
The committee further announced it would refer the matter to the judiciary to assess whether al-Mnifi's actions constitute criminal violations or threats to national unity and sovereignty.
The statement reiterated the House of Representatives' position that the mandates of the Presidential Council and the Government of National Unity have expired. It urged all domestic and international stakeholders to respect the agreed political roadmap and support efforts to unify the executive authority ahead of national elections.
Criticising al-Mnifi for 'deviating from a consensual role,' the committee accused the Presidential Council of becoming a political actor, thereby undermining the UN-led political process and risking renewed deadlock and institutional paralysis.
Citing the 2014 Constitutional Amendment No. 7 and the Skhirat and Geneva Agreements, the committee asserted that only the House of Representatives holds legislative authority during the transitional period. Tags: libyaLibyan parliamentMohamed Al-MnifiPresidential Council
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