Political outline

Executive Power

The Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI is the de facto head of the state, although he holds no official title. He enjoys all the executive powers. The head of the government is called the Secretary of the General People's Congress and is elected by the country's parliament, and has no fixed term of office, as long as he enjoys the confidence of parliament. Parliament also selects the members of the General People's Committee.

The Libyan regime and in particular its political and economic system is based on the Green Book, founding work of Colonel Gaddafi, who sees in this book a third universal theory of synthesis between liberalism and Marxism. This political system is the fruit of a slow evolution which lasted between 1969, when Colonel Gaddafi came to power, and 1977, when the revolutionary committees and the Jamahiriya system (State of the masses) were set up.

This system of a State of the masses also has double local representations: basic popular Congresses (which could be the equivalent of a local parliament), and basic popular Committees (equivalent to a local executive). These two institutions are responsible for transmitting information, measures and decisions to the national authorities: the General People's Congress and the various general popular Committees.

Libya has also been going through a decentralization process since 2000 with transfers of skills and means as the government has transferred part of its prerogatives to provincial cells of popular committees. This phenomenon is growing in Libya with the recent growth of the cha'biyat, new local administrative entities (34 in number today).

Legislative Power

The legislature is unicameral in Libya. The parliament consists of the General People's Congress (GPC). Its members are elected representatives (called secretaries) of around 600 local bodies called ‘basic popular congresses', and serve a term of four years. Only the Revolutionary Leader has the power to dissolve parliament or veto its enactments . The people of Libya have very limited political rights.

Main political parties

Political parties have been banned in Libya since 1971. However the establishment of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has been allowed but these need to work under strict government control.

Current political leaders

Chief of state: Transitional National Council Chairman Mustafa Abd al-JALIL (since March 2011);
Head of government: Transitional National Council Executive Committee Chairman Abd al-Rahim al-KEEB (since 23 October 2011)

Next election dates

No information