Latest news with #HoR
Libya Observer
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
Dispute erupts within House of Representatives over Speaker's 'unilateral moves'
Sources close to Libya's House of Representatives (HoR) say major disagreements have emerged within the chamber due to what some members view as Speaker Aqila Saleh's unilateral decision-making and his monopolization of the HoR's representation, excluding his two deputies, Fawzi Al-Nuwairi and Misbah Douma, as well as the rest of the members. The sources noted that Saleh postponed a parliamentary session scheduled for last Monday due to the absence of the second deputy. However, several members reportedly expressed frustration with his unilateral decision, arguing that the chamber's internal regulations do not require the presence of any specific individual for a session to be valid. In response to the growing tensions, the two Deputy Speakers issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling for the activation of Law No. 4 of 2014, which regulates the functioning of the HoR. The statement emphasized that the House is a legislative institution that operates collectively, and its decisions should reflect the will of all its members—not 'individual moves.' The statement explained that activating the law—particularly the provision that defines the Presidency Office of the HoR as composed of the Speaker and his two deputies—is essential to fulfilling the chamber's legislative and oversight responsibilities. The statement also mentioned that a call had been issued for a Presidency Office meeting on Wednesday, following the postponement of Monday's general session, which Speaker Saleh had reportedly delayed in protest over the second deputy's absence. It further stressed that the HoR, in its entirety, is the legitimate elected legislative authority, and that its general policy must be based on collective decisions in line with institutional principles. Law No. 4 of 2014, now reportedly activated, outlines the collective leadership mechanism of the HoR. Article 18 of the law stipulates that the Presidency Office shall make decisions by 'a majority of its members.' It also grants the two deputies the joint right to call for sessions, and requires an 'absolute majority' of members for a session to be considered valid.
Asia News Network
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Asia News Network
No to polygamy: The Kathmandu Post
August 6, 2025 KATHMANDU – News on two proposed laws about marriage in Nepal are currently doing the rounds on social media. At the centre of these online discussions are women. The government has initiated a process to revise existing laws to lower the minimum marriage age from 20 years to 18 years, which is something also recommended by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Plus, the Cabinet is drafting a bill to legalise polygamy by compelling a married man to marry for a second time if he is found to have had an extramarital affair resulting in the birth of an illegitimate child. Women have started protesting against both the proposed laws—and rightly so— from the floor of the House of Representatives (HoR), to the streets of the capital to opinion pages of newspapers. Women lawmakers, from the ruling coalition as well as the opposition, voiced their objection to the polygamy-enabling draft during a meeting of the HoR on Monday. Activist Binu Yadav, who has been advocating against domestic violence targeted at women, has started a fresh fast-until-death demanding that the government repeal the provision enabling polygamy in the draft of the bill to amend the Criminal Code. The proposed provision to legalise polygamy would legally recognise children born out of extramarital affairs. But it seems that such a provision is not targeted at reducing extramarital affairs, but enabling them by legalising those affairs. If the illegitimate status of children born out of such relationships were a concern, the government could have, as an alternative, legally recognised such children or forced men to divorce their partner if they were found indulging in an extramarital affair. Instead, men now have more freedom to frolic around and face no legal reprimand for not honouring the institution of marriage. The proposed laws, then, seem to align with the patriarchal narrative of 'men will be men', whereby men are not held to account for their behaviour. There is no silver lining to these recently proposed laws. Both of them are regressive for women, especially the one legalising polygamy. It is unjust on married women to suddenly have to share her husband with another woman as the husband was not satisfied with the marriage. The opinion of women, the social group most impacted by the proposed laws, has been discarded. If the views of the women lawmakers of the ruling coalition were not considered before the laws were drafted, the voice of the common women of the country was surely neither prioritised nor accommodated in the controversial provisions in the proposed bills. This smells of toxic patriarchy. This brings us to the main question: What is the purpose behind these marriage-related proposals? The government must take the perspective of women into account if it wants to revise the marriage laws. Legalising polygamy is not the way forward. There are alternatives to address the issues of the legal illegitimacy of children born out of extramarital affairs. Married women are already subjected to multiple unfair practices stemming from marriage, from the compulsion to quit their careers to take care of the family, to domestic abuse. The government should not heap more misery on them by pushing the proposed revisions to marriage laws.
Libya Observer
16-07-2025
- Business
- Libya Observer
Aguila Saleh discusses bilateral cooperation with China's Acting Ambassador
Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Aguila Saleh, met on Tuesday with Liu Jian, the Acting Chinese Ambassador to Libya, to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two countries. The meeting, held at Saleh's office, focused on the latest political developments in Libya and explored ways to strengthen bilateral relations in support of the shared interests of both the Libyan and Chinese peoples, according to the HoR media office. This meeting follows another held on Monday, where Liu Jian met with Belqasem Haftar, Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, to discuss signing memorandums of understanding with Chinese companies for the practical implementation of key development projects in Libya. News Tagged: China
Libya Observer
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
El-Sisi hosts Libyan HoR Speaker, stresses need for comprehensive political settlement
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met in Cairo with the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR), Aqila Saleh, on Saturday, in a meeting attended by the head of Egyptian intelligence, Hassan Rashad. According to a statement by Presidential Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy, President El-Sisi emphasized the need to unify efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Libya. He stressed that such a resolution must enable the holding of simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible, in a way that meets the Libyan people's aspirations for stability, security, and a dignified life. The meeting addressed the latest developments in the Libyan arena, with El-Sisi reiterating Egypt's firm and consistent support for Libya and its national institutions, stressing the importance of preserving Libya's sovereignty and territorial integrity. El-Sisi stressed Egypt's commitment to continuing its efforts and coordination with all Libyan stakeholders and relevant international parties, based on the belief that Libya's political and security stability is an integral part of Egypt's own stability. He also underscored the necessity of the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Libya to enhance security and empower Libyan institutions to carry out their role in consolidating stability across the entire country. HoR Speaker Saleh expressed his appreciation for the historic and brotherly ties between Egypt and Libya, and for President El-Sisi's role—as well as that of Egyptian institutions—in supporting Libya's unity and the cohesion of its national institutions. He reaffirmed that this support is a fundamental pillar for restoring security and stability and for managing the transitional phase toward the upcoming electoral milestones, according to the Egyptian statement.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nepal's amended citizenship bill paves way to acquire citizenship in mother's name- even if father's identity is unknown
Nepal on Saturday endorsed the Nepal Citizenship Bill (Second Amendment), which paves the way to acquire citizenship in the mother's name--even if the father's identity is unknown. The bill was endorsed by a majority of the lawmakers who took part in the deliberation. The significant move is being hailed as a step towards ensuring equality in citizenship rights, as lawmakers endorsed it in the House of Representatives (HoR). The bill, tabled by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak , seeks to end years of uncertainty for children born to Nepali mothers by allowing them to acquire citizenship in their mother's name. While presenting the bill, Minister Lekhak stated that this long-awaited legislation addresses legal loopholes and incorporates several landmark court verdicts that had instructed the government to ensure citizenship rights through either parent. He emphasized that the bill will particularly benefit children born abroad to Nepali women working overseas who, upon returning to Nepal, often find their children rendered stateless due to the lack of legal recognition. "It is a matter of granting Nepali citizenship to the children who were born in a foreign country or to our Nepali females who went abroad for employment and returned with their children or in a condition of pregnancy," the Home Minister said. Live Events The passage of this bill marks a major milestone in Nepal's legislative history and offers hope to thousands who have long waited for legal recognition of their citizenship through their mothers. Lawmakers welcomed the bill, calling it a step forward in ensuring no genuine Nepali is denied citizenship while also maintaining safeguards to prevent non-citizens from acquiring it fraudulently. Lawmaker Prakash Jwala expressed confidence that the bill would finally open the path to citizenship through the mother's name, a long-standing demand rooted in the principle of gender equality. He underlined that this law strikes a balance between granting rightful citizenship and protecting national interest. "We are creating a situation where a child can become a citizen by getting the citizenship, mentioning the mother's name or only the mother's name. That's a positive step. I once again would extend wishes to all the mothers and thank the children," Jwala said. Lawmaker Jwala Kumari Sah highlighted that the new law has been carefully designed not to compromise Nepal's national security, unity, or sovereignty. She added that the provision would bring relief to children born to Nepali mothers and foreign fathers, many of whom have remained stateless despite their strong ties to Nepal. "The status of a woman, as the citizenship is being issued only in the name of the mother, was absent in the bygone days. There used to be a mandatory presence of the father. Now with this endorsement, the mothers are also set to get the recognition equal to that of fathers. I would like to thank the proposers of this bill," lawmaker Sah said. According to the new provision, such children born to Nepali mothers abroad, residing in Nepal, who have not acquired foreign citizenship or a passport, and whose father's identity is unknown, will now be eligible for naturalised Nepali citizenship upon self-declaration, as per specified procedures. The bill also includes a provision to issue minor identification cards to children under the age of 16 if either parent is a Nepali citizen.
