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Politics of Libya

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Politics of Libya

Arab League Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
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The politics of Libya are currently in a phase of transition.

As a result of the collapse of the Gaddafi regime in August 2011 due to the Libyan civil war, Libya is under de facto administration of the National Transitional Council (NTC). The NTC has pledged to organize democratic elections by April 2012, and expects Libya to develop into a constitutional democracy by 2013.

The transitional period is governed by the Constitutional Declaration issued on 3 August 2011.

National Transitional Council

National Transitional Council
المجلس الوطني الانتقالي
al-majlis al-waṭanī al-intiqālī
Motto: Freedom, Justice, Democracy
Anthem: Libya, Libya, Libya
  Cities under NTC control     
  Cities under Gaddafi's control
  Ongoing fighting
CapitalTripoli[1]
Official languagesLibyan Arabic (de facto)
Berber dialects
(most prominently Nafusi)
Demonym(s)Libyan
GovernmentCaretaker government
• President
Mustafa Abdul Jalil
• Vice President
Abdul Hafiz Ghoga
• Prime Minister
Mahmoud Jibril
Establishment
17 February 2011
• National Council established
27 February 2011
ISO 3166 codeLY
Website
ntclibya.com
  1. The Libyan rebellion uses the 1951 flag of the monarchy to represent liberated Libya.
Main article: National Transitional Council

The National Transitional Council (Arabic: المجلس الوطني الانتقالي, al-majlis al-waTanī al-intiqālī) is a body formed by Anti-Gaddafi forces during the 2011 Libyan civil war. Its formation was announced in the city of Benghazi on 27 February 2011 and its intended purpose is to act as the "political face of the revolution". In some media outlets, it is referred to as the National Libyan Council or the Libyan National Council. On 5 March 2011, the council issued a statement in which it declared itself to be the "sole representative all over Libya".[2] The council formed an interim governing body on 23 March 2011. As of 5 September 2011, 79 countries declared full support to the council by severing all relations with Gaddafi's rule and recognizing the National Transitional Council as the rightful representative of Libya.

On 3 August 2011, the NTC issued a Constitutional Declaration which declares the statehood of Libya as a democracy with Islam as its state religion, in which the state guarantees the rule of law and an independent judiciary as well as civic and human basic rights (including freedom of religion and women's rights), and which contains provisions for a phase of transition to a presidential republic with an elected national assembly and a democratically legitimized constitution by 2013.

Political parties and elections

Political parties were banned in Libya from 1972 until the collapse of the Gaddafi regime, and all elections were nonpartisan under law. However, during the 2011 revolution, the NTC has made the introduction of multiparty democracy a cornerstone of its agenda. In June 2011, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi said his father would agree to internationally monitored general elections, and would step down if he lost them, but his offer was refused by the rebels.[3]

The NTC has said that it will organize elections by mid-2012. As of now, three political parties have been announced: the Democratic Party of Libya, the New Libya Party and the Libyan Socialist Movement.

International organization participation

Further information: Foreign relations of the National Transitional Council and History of foreign relations of Libya under Gaddafi

The Transitional National Council has pledged to honour Libya's international commitments until the 2012 elections.

Libya is a member of ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC (suspended), UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO and UNHABITAT.

Libyan politics under the Gaddafi regime

Main article: Politics of Libya under Gaddafi

After originally rising to power through a military coup d'etat in 1969, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's governance of Libya became increasingly centric on the teachings of his Green Book, which he published in the mid-1970s chapter by chapter as a foundation for a new form of government.[4] This jamahiriya, as he called it, was supposedly a form of direct democracy in which power was balanced between a General People's Congress, consisting of 2,700 representatives of Basic People's Congresses, and an executive General People's Committee, headed by a General Secretary, who reported to the Prime Minister and the President. However, Gaddafi retained virtually all power, continuing to operate and control vestiges of the military junta put in place in 1969. Under Gaddafi's rule, including during the jamahiriya period from 1977 to 2011, Libya was widely recognised as a non-free country.

Wanted figures

Interpol on 4 March 2011 issued a security alert concerning the "possible movement of dangerous individuals and assets" based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970, which imposed a travel ban and asset freeze. The warning lists Gaddafi himself and 15 key members of his regime:[5]

  1. Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi: Responsibility for ordering repression of demonstrations, human rights abuses.
  2. Dr. Baghdadi Mahmudi: Head of the Liaison Office of the Revolutionary Committees. Revolutionary Committees involved in violence against demonstrators.
  3. Abuzed Omar Dorda: Director, External Security Organisation. Regime loyalist. Head of external intelligence agency.
  4. Major General Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr: Defense Minister. Overall responsibility for actions of armed forces.
  5. Aisha Muammar Gaddafi: Daughter of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime.
  6. Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi: Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime.
  7. Mutassim Gaddafi: National Security Adviser. Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime
  8. Saadi Gaddafi: Commander Special Forces. Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime. Command of military units involved in repression of demonstrations.
  9. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi: Director, Gaddafi Foundation. Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime. Inflammatory public statements encouraging violence against demonstrators.
  10. Abdulqader Yusef Dibri: Head of Muammar Gaddafi's personal security. Responsibility for regime security. History of directing violence against dissidents.
  11. Matuq Mohammed Matuq: Secretary for Utilities. Senior member of regime. Involvement with Revolutionary Committees. Past history of involvement in suppression of dissent and violence.
  12. Sayyid Mohammed Qadhaf Al-dam: Cousin of Muammar Gaddafi. In the 1980s, Sayyid was involved in the dissident assassination campaign and allegedly responsible for several deaths in Europe. He is also thought to have been involved in arms procurement.
  13. Khamis Gaddafi: Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime. Command of military units involved in repression of demonstrations.
  14. Mohammed Gaddafi: Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime.
  15. Saif al-Arab Gaddafi: Son of Muammar Gaddafi. Closeness of association with regime.
  16. Colonel Abdullah Senussi: Director Military Intelligence. Military Intelligence involvement in suppression of demonstrations. Past history includes suspicion of involvement in Abu Selim prison massacre. Convicted in absentia for bombing of UTA flight. Brother-in-law of Muammar Gaddafi.

The NTC has been in negotiations with Algeria and Niger, neighboring countries to which members of the regime and defecting military commanders have fled, attempting to secure the arrest and extradition of Saadi Gaddafi and others.[6]

Of these officials, Abdulqader Mohammed Al-Baghdadi and Abu Zayd Umar Dorda were arrested,[7][8] while Saif al-Arab Gaddafi was killed by a NATO airstrike during the war[9] and Khamis Gaddafi was claimed by the NTC to have been confirmed dead as well.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/08/201182623316261938.html
  2. ^ "Ferocious battles in Libya as national council meets for first time". NewsCore. 6 March 2011.
  3. ^ . Reuters. 16 June 2011 http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-libya-idUSTRE7270JP20110616. Retrieved 18 September 2011. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Country Profile: Libya (PDF). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (April 2005). Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Interpol File No.: 2011/108/OS/CCC, 4 March 2011.
  6. ^ "NTC Demands Niger Returns Saadi, Officials from Al Qathafi Regime". Tripoli Post. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  7. ^ "Former Libyan PM arrested, jailed in Tunisia". Taipei Times. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  8. ^ "Exclusive: Gaddafi spy chief Dorda arrested". Reuters. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Saif al-Arab: A playboy known for his hard-living ways". The Independent. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Gaddafi's feared son Khamis 'confirmed dead', claims NTC". The Telegraph. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
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