memri
August 16, 2012 Special Dispatch No. 4892

The Transfer of Power In Libya – An Historic Moment

August 16, 2012
Libya | Special Dispatch No. 4892

On August 8, 2012, Libya witnessed an historic moment: the ceremony marking the peaceful transfer of power from the National Transitional Council (NTC) to the Libyan General National Congress (GNC), whose 200 members were elected on July 7, 2012 in Libya's first democratic elections in 42 years. Participating in the ceremony along with GNC members were NTC members, rebel representatives, civil society activists, diplomats, and members of the media. The ceremony was held on the second floor of a hotel in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, where the GNC will also meet.[1]

NTC head Mustapha 'Abd Al-Jalil transferred the reins of power to Muhammad 'Ali Salim, the oldest member of the GNC, and both signed a document confirming the transfer. The document stated: "The NTC hereby transfers the constitutional authorities to run the state to the GNC, which, from this historic moment onwards, is the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people and in charge of Libya's independence, security and unity."[2]

It should be noted that prior to the ceremony, 'Abd Al-Jalil had announced his intention to step down, and said that he was relinquishing all executive authority.[3]

GNC elder Muhammad 'Ali Salim thanked 'Abd Al-Jalil for the council's achievements, saying that they "actualized the achievements of the February 17 revolution," and committed to "preserving the goals for which the sons [of Libya] had sacrificed themselves." GNC members then took a collective oath before the Supreme Court president, swearing to fulfill the goals of the revolution and to uphold the laws of the Libyan state.[4]


The transfer of power ceremony[5]

The day after the ceremony, the GNC elected National Front Party chief Muhammad Yousuf Al-Magariaf as its head. This election also went smoothly, and the results were undisputed. GNC member 'Ali Zeidan, who ran against Al-Magariaf for the post, commented after the election: "This is the democracy of which we all dreamed."[6]

Al-Magariaf, an economist, was Libya's ambassador to India under Qadhafi, until his defection in the early 1980s. He was one of the founders of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, an armed opposition organization operating outside Libya which attempted several times to bring down the Qadhafi regime. He is portrayed by the media as a "moderate Islamist."[7] Following his election as GNC head, Al-Magariaf said he would step down from his leadership of the National Front Party,[8] which had won only three seats in the GNC.[9] Additionally, since he is a native of Benghazi, Al-Magariaf's election is expected to reassure the Libyans in the east of the country who fear marginalization by the central regime in Tripoli.[10]

Two days after the transfer of power, two deputies for Al-Magariaf were elected by the GNC: Juma'a 'Atiqa, an independent from the Misrata region, and Salah Al-Makhzoum, from the Justice and Construction Party, which is identified with the Muslim Brotherhood.[11]


GNC head Muhammad Yousuf Al-Magariaf [12]


The ceremony participants[13]

The GNC is expected to lead the interim phase for 18 months; during that time it will be responsible for appointing a government, ratifying a new constitution, and passing a new election law, following which new elections will be held.[14] Its main challenges will be to bring security to the streets countrywide – something that the current government and the NTC have failed to do – and also to bring prosperity to the country.

It should be emphasized that the political makeup of the GNC has not yet solidified. 120 of its members are independents, and it is not yet clear how they will ally themselves. The other 80 members come from party lists. The largest of these, with 39 seats, is the liberal National Forces Alliance, headed by Mahmoud Jibril, who was prime minister following the fall of the Qadhafi regime; the next largest force is the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Justice and Construction Party, with 17 seats, and the rest of the seats are held by smaller parties.[15]

Endnotes:

[1] Libyan News Agency, Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 8, 2012.

[2] Libyan News Agency, August 9, 2012.

[3] Aljazeera.net, August 9, 2012.

[4] Libyan News Agency, August 9, 2012; Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), libyaalmostakbal.net, August 8, 2012.

[5] Image source: Libyan News Agency, August 9, 2012.

[6] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 10, 2012.

[7] BBC.co.uk/Arabic, Alarabiya.net, Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 10, 2012. A GNC member told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that Al-Magariaf's election was a victory for the Islamists.

[8] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 11, 2012.

[9] Hnec.ly, July 17, 2012.

[10] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 10, 2012.

[11] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 12, 2012.

[12] Image source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 11, 2012

[13] Image source: Libyan News Agency, August 8, 2012.

[14] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), August 9, 2012.

[15] Hnec.ly, July 17, 2012.

Share this Report: