Tripoli erupts in protests over power cuts with calls to topple government

By Wessam Al Jurdi & Euronews Arabic Published on 28/07/2026 - 10:08 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Demonstrators blocked roads, shut state institutions and sealed off government buildings as temperatures reached up to 50 degrees Celsius and daily blackouts stretched to 14 hours. The protests quickly widened into demands for the removal of governments in both eastern and western Libya. A wave of demonstrations spread across Tripoli on Sunday night and Monday, with protesters blocking major roads, shutting down state institutions and demanding the removal of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah's Government of National Unity (GNU), as daily power cuts of up to 14 hours during a severe heatwave pushed public anger to its breaking point. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The protests, which began in response to the electricity crisis, quickly expanded into a broader challenge to Libya's political establishment. Demonstrators called for the removal of governments in both eastern and western Libya, chanting "The people want justice that punishes those who squander the people's money," "The people's money is a trust in your hands," and "Electricity — where have the billions gone?" Temperatures in some parts of Libya have reached between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius during the current heatwave, driving electricity demand beyond the capacity of a grid already hampered by years of underinvestment, theft from the network and disputed management of the country's oil revenues. The Souq al-Jumaa Movement, which has been organising against the GNU since mid-2025, said the civil disobedience campaign would begin with the closure of state institutions and public companies without blocking roads or targeting citizens. The Sons of Tajoura Movement said actions would continue until "the governments in the east and west of the country are brought down." The electricity dispute is part of a struggle between Dbeibah and Mohamed al-Mashey, the chairman of the General Electricity Company of Libya, whose conflict has paralysed the sector's management. On the ground, demonstrators blocked the Nabras roundabout with burning tyres roughly two kilometres from the Prime Minister's Office, and sealed off the Ghiran roundabout, one of the main western entrances to the capital. Protests spread south to Ain Zara and across Tajoura, Souq al-Jumaa, Serraj, Janzour, Zawiyat al-Dahmani and Dahra. Lorries dumped earth barriers in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Broadcasting Corporation, the Libya National TV channel, the Audit Bureau and the headquarters of the telecommunications holding company. Branches of the Central Bank and offices of the Libyana and Almadar telecommunications companies in Souq al-Jumaa were shut down. Demonstrators gathered outside the West Tripoli power station, and the protests spread to the city of Zawiya. In Misrata, an armed group opposed to Dbeibah staged a show of force, with convoys of military vehicles driving through the city amid a heavy deployment of personnel, raising concerns that the protests could fuel rivalries between armed factions. In Janzour, local reports said an armed group affiliated with the government opened fire on a gathering of protesters. No official information on casualties or the circumstances of the shooting was released. Acting Interior Minister Imad al-Trabelsi ordered security agencies across Tripoli to raise their readiness to the maximum level in response to the unrest. The Prime Minister's Office Protection and Security Force issued a statement warning that "anyone who seeks to undermine the country's security or target state institutions will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law." It urged citizens not to be drawn into "calls aimed at stirring chaos," while saying freedom of expression was guaranteed by law. Related Tripoli court acquits 31 Gaddafi-era officials of crushing 2011 Libyan uprisingLibya football riots spread to Tripoli as fans torch government building Libya has been split between rival administrations since the collapse of the UN-brokered Government of National Accord in 2021. The internationally recognised Government of National Unity, led by Dbeibah and based in Tripoli, administers western Libya. The rival government, appointed by the House of Representatives in early 2022, led by Osama Hammad and based in Benghazi, controls the east and most of the south. The country has not held a national election since 2014. Multiple UN-led roadmaps to organise a vote have failed. Libya's oil wealth — the country holds Africa's largest proven reserves — has been repeatedly weaponised by rival factions rather than used to repair infrastructure. The protests are not the first of their kind. A similar wave of demonstrations over electricity cuts and corruption hit Tripoli in May 2025, when crowds gathered in Martyrs' Square demanding Dbeibah's removal. Those protests dispersed without producing political change. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Latest news bulletin | July 28th, 2026 – Morning Latest news bulletin | July 27th, 2026 – Evening Latest news bulletin | July 27th, 2026 – Midday World News Power outage Water shortage Libya Demonstration