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Libya

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Libya Politics, sometimes defined as the art and science of government[1], is a process by which collective decisions are made within groups. ... libyan coa public This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ...

The Green Book Jamahiriya Muammar al-Qaddafi Head of state Zentani Muhammad az-Zentani General People's Committee Secretary-General Baghdadi Mahmudi General People's Congress Foreign relations

See also: History of Libya

edit Cover of English language edition published by the Libyan government There are multiple Green Books. ... Jamahiriya (Arabic جماهيرية) is an Arabic term generally translated as state of the masses. ... Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qaddafi 1 — pronounced Gaddafi — (Arabic: معمر القذافي ) (born c. ... Zentani Muhammad az-Zentani is the president of Libya, and has been since 1992. ... List of Heads of Government of Libya Categories: | | ... Libyan prime minister, Baghdadi Mahmudi Dr Baghdadi Ali Mahmudi (born 1945?) was appointed prime minister of Libya in March 2006, in succession to Shukri Ghanem. ... The General Peoples Congress (Mutammar al-shaab al âmm) consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis Peoples Congresses. ... // History Since 1969, Moammar Al Qadhafi has determined Libyas foreign policy. ... Ruins of Leptis Magna in Libya The Visible history of Libya is a flux of stronger and weaker control by outsiders. ...

Libya's political system is theoretically based on the political philosophy in Moammar Al Qadhafi's Green Book, which combines socialist and Islamic theories and rejects parliamentary democracy and political parties. In reality, Qadhafi exercises near total control over the government. Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qaddafi 1 (Arabic: معمر القذافي Mu`ammar al-Qadhdhāfī) (born 1942), leader of Libya since 1970 and a controversial Arab statesman. ... Cover of English language edition published by the Libyan government There are multiple Green Books. ... Socialism is any economic system in which the means of production are owned and controlled collectively or a political philosophy advocating such a system. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ) is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the Quran. ...

For the first 7 years following the revolution, Colonel Qadhafi and 12 fellow army officers, the Revolutionary Command Council, began a complete overhaul of Libya's political system, society, and economy. On 3 March 1977, Qadhafi convened a General People's Congress (GPC) to proclaim the establishment of "people's power," change the country's name to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, and to vest, theoretically, primary authority in the GPC. Qadhafi remained the de facto chief of state and secretary general of the GPC until 1980, when he gave up his office. He continues to control all aspects of the Libyan Government through direct appeals to the masses, a pervasive security apparatus, and powerful revolutionary committees. Although he holds no formal office, Qadhafi exercises absolute power with the assistance of a small group of trusted advisers, who include relatives from his home base in the Surt region, which lies between the rival provinces of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The Revolutionary Command Council was the body established to supervise Egypt after the 1952 Revolution. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Look up Libya on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Government Peoples Bureau of the Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in Ottawa, Canada government information and links News afrol News - Libya independent news agency AllAfrica. ...

The Libyan court system consists of four levels: summary courts, which try petty offenses, the courts of first instance, which try more serious crimes; the courts of appeals, and the Supreme Court, which is the final appellate level. The GPC appoints justices to the Supreme Court. Special "revolutionary courts" and military courts operate outside the court system to try political offenses and crimes against the state. Libya's justice system is nominally based on Sharia law. Sharia (Arabic: ‎ translit: ) refers to Islamic law. ...

After the revolution, Qadhafi took increasing control of the government, but he also attempted to achieve greater popular participation in local government. In 1973, he announced the start of a "cultural revolution" in schools, businesses, industries, and public institutions to oversee administration of those organizations in the public interest. The March 1977 establishment of "people's power"--with mandatory popular participation in the selection of representatives to the GPC--was the culmination of this process.

In the 1980s, competition grew between the official Libyan Government and military hierarchies and the revolutionary committees. An abortive coup attempt in May 1984 apparently mounted by Libyan exiles with internal support, led to a short-lived reign of terror in which thousands were imprisoned and interrogated. An unknown number were executed. Qadhafi used the revolutionary committees to search out alleged internal opponents following the coup attempt, thereby accelerating the rise of more radical elements inside the Libyan power hierarchy.

In 1988, faced with rising public dissatisfaction with shortages in consumer goods and setbacks in Libya's war with Chad, Qadhafi began to curb the power of the revolutionary committees and to institute some domestic reforms. The regime released many political prisoners and eased restrictions on foreign travel by Libyans. Private businesses were again permitted to operate.

In the late 1980s, Qadhafi began to pursue an anti-Islamic fundamentalist policy domestically, viewing fundamentalism as a potential rallying point for opponents of the regime. Ministerial positions and military commanders are frequently shuffled or placed under temporary house arrest to diffuse potential threats to Qadhafi's authority.

Despite these measures, internal dissent continues. Qadhafi's security forces launched a preemptive strike at alleged coup plotters in the military and among the Warfallah tribe in October 1993. Widespread arrests and government reshufflings followed, accompanied by public "confessions" from regime opponents and allegations of torture and executions. The military, once Qadhafi's strongest supporters, became a potential threat in the 1990s. In 1993, following a failed coup attempt that implicated senior military officers, Qadhafi began to purge the military periodically, eliminating potential rivals and inserting his own loyal followers in their place.

Legislative branch

The General People's Congress (Mu'tammar al-sha'ab al 'âmm) consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis People's Congresses. The GPC is the legislative forum that interacts with the General People's Committee, whose members are secretaries of Libyan ministries. It serves as the intermediary between the masses and the leadership and is composed of the secretariats of some 600 local "basic popular congresses." The General Peoples Congress (Mutammar al-shaab al âmm) consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis Peoples Congresses. ...

The GPC secretariat and the cabinet secretaries are appointed by the GPC secretary general and confirmed by the annual GPC congress. These cabinet secretaries are responsible for the routine operation of their ministries.

Political parties and elections

Libya is a state that doesn't allow parties to exist, all parties were banned in 1952. Libya has a legislature. The General People's Congress (Mu'tammar al-sha'ab al 'âmm) consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis People's Congresses. A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... The General Peoples Congress (Mutammar al-shaab al âmm) consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis Peoples Congresses. ...

Other information

Country name:
conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah (Arabic: الجمهوريّة العربيّة اللّيبيّة الشعبيّة اشتراكيّة)
local short form: none
former: Italian North Africa

Data code: LY

Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship Jamahiriya (Arabic جماهيرية) is an Arabic term generally translated as state of the masses. ...

Capital: Tripoli (Arabic: طرابلس)

Administrative divisions: 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); see Municipalities of Libya There are 25 municicipalities of Libya. ...

Independence: December 24, 1951 (from Italy) December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

National holiday: Revolution Day, September 1 (1969) September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ...

Constitution: December 11 1969, amended March 2 1977 December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ...

Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Sharia (Arabic شريعة also Sharia, Shariah or Syariah) is traditional Islamic law. ...

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected head of government; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qaddafi 1 (Arabic: معمر القذافي Mu`ammar al-Qadhdhāfī) (born 1942), leader of Libya since 1970 and a controversial Arab statesman. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

External links

• Adam Carr's Election Archive