Libya's budget unity row

Libya’s House of Representatives announced that it is preparing a unified budget for 2027, with the draft set to be referred to a plenary session in December. The finance committee is gathering data from relevant bodies in eastern and western Libya to determine the estimates. Supporters say the move could bring political agreement closer. But lawmakers and officials have warned that it will be difficult to implement without a unified government, and that dividing expenditure between the two governments could entrench the split and lead to parallel spending. The announcement comes as the “4+4” agreement to form an executive authority and pave the way for elections within two years has stalled. Officials say neither side has honored an earlier agreement to rationalize spending, which allocated 40 billion dinars for development. An analyst predicted that the wage bill could rise to 80 billion dinars or more if demands for pay increases are met. Meanwhile, a teachers’ strike now in its second month has kept 1.6 million students out of school.

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