Politics of Libya - Political Parties and Elections

Political Parties and Elections

Political parties were banned in Libya from 1972 until the collapse of the Gaddafi government, and all elections were nonpartisan under law. However, during the 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 and ignored by the UN Security Council.

The NTC has said that it will organize elections by mid-2012. The foundation of the following political parties has been announced since the fall of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

On 7 July 2012, the Legislative body - the General National Congress - was elected. There are 2,501 candidates for the 200 seats - 136 of which for political parties and 64 for independent candidates. About 300 candidates' views were considered unacceptable and removed from candidates list, suspected of sympathizing with the defeated forces of the Jamahiriya. Accreditation centers have also been organised in European cities with larger Libyan communities like Berlin and Paris, in order to allow Libyan nationals there to cast their vote. Early results of the vote showed the National Forces Alliance (NFA) party as a front runner. The NFA is led by Mahmoud Jibril.

The General National Congress will choose the members of the Constitutional Convention.