New Libya Parties Law Irks Islamists, Federalists

Libya's first law on political parties since before the four-decade rule of now slain dictator Moammar Gadhafi drew criticism on Wednesday from Islamists and federalists alike.

The legislation issued by the interim government late on Tuesday, Libya's first since 1964, bans groups based on religious, regional or tribal platforms and outlaws foreign funding.

"Political parties and associations should not be built on the basis of regional, tribal or religious affiliation," a member of the National Transitional Council said.

"They cannot be an extension of a political party abroad or receive foreign funding," said Mustafa Landi, a member of the council's legal committee.

Political parties must have a minimum of 250 founding members, while associations need only 100, Landi added.

NTC spokesman Mohammed al-Harizi confirmed that the law had been signed into effect, although its text has yet to be published.

The head of the council's political affairs committee, Fathi Baja, told Agence France Presse that the law does not target moderate Islamists, like the Muslim Brotherhood, but seeks to exclude more radical elements "whose politics exclude others."

But Nizar Kawan, a leading figure in Libya's Muslim Brotherhood, condemned the law for its exclusion of more radical groups, such as the Salafist movement.

"We would prefer if Salafists and other radical groups were given a chance to participate in this political experience so that they are initiated into democracy and dialogue, which will help them renounce violence," he said.

The Arab Spring uprisings which swept Libya's neighbors Egypt and Tunisia early last year saw big gains for Islamist parties in subsequent elections.

In Egypt, not only did the Muslim Brotherhood win nearly half the seats in parliament, the Salafists also took another quarter.

Libya's Muslim Brotherhood, which already represents a major political force, has said it will not participate directly in elections but will focus instead on social development.

Its members, however, have been urged to create parties.

One of them was elected early March to lead the Justice and Construction Party which advocates a moderate Islam.

Political organizations of any kind were banned for decades under Gadhafi’s iron-fisted rule.

The NTC scrapped legislation outlawing political associations in January.