Libya Outlaws Religious, Tribal or Ethnic Parties

As Libya prepares for elections in June, the National Transitional Council announced ban on religious, tribal or ethnic based political parties.

Laws Nos. 29 and 30 on the organisation of parties were approved by the NTC at a meeting in Tripoli which also stops parties from receiving any foreign funding.

The legislation is one of the laws required to be put in place by government to set the electoral process in motion. Out of 200 seats in the National Congress, political parties will contest for 80 seats while individual candidates would contest for the rest 120 seats.

The election will hold on June 19, 2012.

The ban was announced by Mohammed al-Harizy, NTC spokesman who explained that the council passed the law governing the formation of political parties on Tuesday evening.

"Parties are not allowed to be based on religion or ethnicity or tribe," he stressed.

However, he did not clarify on the effects of the new law on Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood, which was formed in March and perceived to be a leading contender for June election.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Justice and Construction Party launched on 3 March is led by Mohammed Sawan. The party has been perceived to have strong religious affiliation, although it claimed to be open to both members from the Brotherhood and non-Brotherhood alike. 

Other parties that could find themselves in face-off with the new law include the National Party formed by Abdul-Hakim Belhaj, leader of Tripoli Military Council and a former commander of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group in Afghanistan.

The party has backing of notable Islamic cleric, Ali Sallabi, and openly canvassed for an Islamic agenda as contained in its declaration during its launching on April 16.

“The aim of the party is to preserve the identity of Libya as a Muslim country,” coordinator Mohammed Ghula said.

The Reform and Development party set up by religious leaders in Benghazi is likely to face limitations.

Political analysts predict the Muslim Brotherhood is likely to emerge as the most structured political party in the post Ghaddafi Libya.

Libya is one of the Arab countries that witnessed the Arab Springs which swept away leaders of Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco. The battle to oust Ghaddafi climaxed on October 20, 2011 when he was killed, ending the nine month armed struggle to overthrow him.

Oil-rich Libya was ruled for 42 years by Ghaddafi and his family.