Libya: is Haftar establishing ‘hereditary’ rule after promoting sons?

Observers of the situation in Libya have noted that Khalifa Haftar has promoted three of his sons, prompting fears that he is establishing a hereditary principle of governance in the beleaguered North African country.

The field marshal, 80, has recently appointed his youngest son, Saddam, as head of his ground forces controlling the east and south of Libya. His son Khaled was appointed as head of the security units, giving him a lot of power within the Libyan army, while his third son, Belqas, heads the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund.

These promotions increase speculation about Haftar’s intentions and his determination to establish hereditary rule in preparation for his retirement. Such hereditary positions were a phenomenon seen with the establishment of the Kingdom of Libya in the 1950s.

“The agenda to pass down the military leadership in eastern Libya has been underway for some time, with Haftar likely to continue in his position in the short term,” explained Libyan political analyst Ibrahim Belkacem. “Despite his deteriorating health, there are no indications of his intention to retire from political life.”

Belkacem told Maghreb Voices: “The future of the Libyan East depends on the smoothness of the transition of military leadership. If a smooth transition of power does not occur, the risks of power struggles loom on the horizon.”

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