TRIPOLI: Libya’s parliament on Monday appointed Fauzi Abokhzam as the new central bank governor, the legislature said, after his predecessor’s resignation caused a firestorm. Former governor Naji Issa had requested to quit in August, but the parliament at the time rejected his demand. Only in October did the parliament announce a surprise decision saying it had accepted Issa’s request, without justifying the about-face. On the day parliament accepted Issa’s resignation, the central bank said its headquarters in the capital Tripoli was raided by unidentified individuals. Beset by instability since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi, Libya is divided between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. Issa was appointed as central bank chief in 2024 amid a political standoff that saw a halt in oil production and a deep financial crisis. Parliament sits in the eastern city of Benghazi under Haftar's control, and got a new speaker weeks before reversing course on the central bank appointment. Out of 90 lawmakers in attendance, 78 voted in favor of naming Abokhzam as the new governor, the parliament said.