Libyan parties reject draft election law

[tabatha]

Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:39pm GMT Print | Single Page [-] Text [+]
By Taha Zargoun and Oliver Holmes

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Twelve moderate Islamist parties in Libya have rejected a proposed election law because it encourages voting along tribal lines and gives undue influence to the wealthy, they said late on Saturday.

The draft law, published by the National Transitional Council (NTC) on January 2, will set the rules of a vote for the national assembly in June. The body will be charged with writing a constitution and forming a second caretaker government.

"The proposed electoral system does not lead to true representation of all sectors of society, instead it would produce a representation overwhelmed by tribal consideration and the influence of the rich," the Forum of National Parties said in the joint statement.

Wasila al-Ashiq, head of one of the parties, al-Umma, told Reuters on Sunday the draft law would force candidates to run as independents because Libya has no law regulating political parties. That would mean candidates would rely on tribal power and affiliation to win seats, she said.

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE80E04Q20120115

[joshcryer]

1. The Libyan people are amazing. More good news from the revolution.

I never doubted that they wouldn't fight back any and all pressures, internal or external, to suppress them as a peoples.

[tabatha]

2. Good quotes at end of Arab Spring 1 year on, next post up.

[ellisonz]

3. They should just adopt our Constitution and be done with it...