The Libyan political arena has entered a new turn that raises a lot of controversy and questions about the future of the leadership of what is known as the “September Movement,” after the death of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in the city of Zintan in western Libya. He was the most prominent son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The expression “September Movement” is used to refer to supporters of the former Libyan regime, who still maintain political and social influence in several regions, especially Zintan and the south of the country. The reason for this name goes back to Muammar Gaddafi assuming power after the Al-Fateh Revolution in September 1969, when Saif al-Islam played a major role within this movement, which made him its most prominent political face in recent years.
Analysts believe that Saif al-Islam’s death has opened the way for a period of anticipation within the ranks of supporters of the former regime, who now face the challenge of searching for a new leadership capable of reorganizing their ranks and preparing for any possible political path in the near future.
Circles close to the movement are discussing the names of a number of Gaddafi family members as possible alternatives to succeed him, led by Aisha Gaddafi and Al-Saadi Gaddafi, in light of the absence of a clear leadership figure who enjoys widespread support. Aisha Gaddafi has lived outside Libya since 2011. Before the events, she was one of the most prominent media figures, in addition to her work in the charitable field and her specialization in international law. Her last public appearance was during her participation in an art exhibition held in Moscow, where she displayed works that she said depicted her family’s suffering after the fall of the regime.
As for Al-Saadi Gaddafi, he settled outside Libya after his release from Tripoli prisons in 2021. He is largely far from the political and media spotlight, and does not appear in the public scene except through limited statements on the “X” platform, the last of which was his call on the movement’s supporters to adhere to public order and not violate the law during the funeral of his brother’s body.
The name of Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, Muammar Gaddafi’s cousin and former personal envoy, was also circulated among the list of possible names, despite the existence of previous disagreements between him and Saif al-Islam before his death, but he later returned to confirm that the family would remain united.
The Sky News Arabia website quoted a leader in the pro-Saif al-Islam movement as saying that the movement has not yet resolved the issue of the new leadership, but it is able to overcome the current situation and continue political work, indicating that determining the position on any alliances or future steps is still under study. He considered that the assassination of Saif al-Islam was linked to the popularity he enjoyed and his ability to win any elections, stressing that the current stage is dedicated to receiving condolences, in the absence of any upcoming election dates.
For his part, historian and political analyst Shawqi Muammar believes that Aisha Gaddafi’s name is the most widely discussed in discussions within the movement, despite the fact that she does not yet have a clearly defined political project, and the existence of internal disputes among supporters of the former regime. He considered that the prevailing discourse within this movement is still focused on restoring what its supporters consider “past glories,” while using an emotional tone targeting certain segments of Libyan society.
In turn, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, Claudia Gazzini, believes that the absence of Saif al-Islam practically means that there is no figure with the same status to lead the supporters of the former regime, noting that his legitimacy was linked to his being the most involved in political work among Gaddafi’s sons, in addition to being the only person from the family who was present inside Libya. She added that the absence of any effective political process in the country raises serious questions about the feasibility of any potential political role for supporters of the former regime at the present time, despite talk about the possibility of Aisha Gaddafi emerging in the future.
