User:Stamanjw

=7.0 - Government and Politics=

Organization
Power is theoretically vested in the people through People's Congresses, Popular Committees  , trade unions , vocational syndicates , and the General People's Congress (GPC) , with its General Secretariat. The head of state is the revolutionary leader, elected by the GPC. Executive power is exercised by the GPC, which is composed of 17 secretariats. The country is divided into three provinces, 10 governorates, and 1,500 administrative communes.

Constitution
The GPC, in a Sebha meeting from 2 to 28 March 1977, proclaimed its adherence to freedom and its readiness to defend it within its own land. It announced its adherence to socialism, its commitment to achieving Arab unity, and its reverence for human values. The constitution confirmed the leadership of Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi, the Revolutionary Leader.

The concept of Jamahiriya, law of the people, is based on a mixture of socialist and Islamic theories derived from Qadhafi's own nomadic background and education.

'''Executive Branch. ''' Colonel Muammar Qadhafi serves, in effect, as the executive officer, although such functions officially lie with the General Secretary of the GPC - a position Qadhafi officially relinquished in 1979. The General Secretariat assists the General Secretary with the 20 member GPC.

'''Legislative Branch. ''' The Senate and House of Representatives were dissolved after the coup d'etat of September 1969, and the provisional Constitution issued in December 1969 made no mention of elections or a return to parliamentary procedure. In January 1971, Colonel Qadhafi announced that a new legislature would be appointed, not elected; no date was mentioned. All political parties other than the Arab Socialist Union were banned. In November 1975, provision was made for the creation of the 1,112-member General National Congress of the Arab Socialist Union that met officially in January 1976. This later became the GPC, which met for the first time in November 1976, and in March 1977 began introducing the changes outlined in the Constitution.

'''Judicial Branch. ''' The judicial system is based on the Italian civil law system and Islamic law and is composed, in order of seniority, of the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and Courts of First Instance and Summary Courts. There are separate religious courts. All courts convene in open session, unless public morals or public order require a closed session; all judgments, however, are delivered in open session. Cases are heard in Arabic; interpreters are provided for non-Arabs. Courts apply the Libyan codes that include all the traditional branches of law, such as civil, commercial, and penal codes. Committees were formed in 1971 to examine Libyan law and ensure that it coincides with the rules of shari'a. The proclamation of People's Authority in the Jamahiriya provides that the Qur'an is the law of society. There is no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts, and the system has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction.

Administrative Divisions
There are 25 municipalities in Libya: Ajdabiya, Al Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Benghazi, Darhah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tobruk, Yafran, and Alitan.