People’s AuthorityPeople’s Authority(Direct Democracy)(Direct Democracy)

The mechanism of decision-making and The mechanism of decision-making and

execution in the execution in the JamahiriJamahiri systemsystem..

Dr. Ramadan BrekiDr. Ramadan Breki

Libya applies an Libya applies an advancedadvanced democratic system democratic system which moves democracy, in theory and practice, which moves democracy, in theory and practice, from the stage of deputation and representation to from the stage of deputation and representation to Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy• This process started with the Declaration of the This process started with the Declaration of the

Establishment People's Authority which was Establishment People's Authority which was issued in the city of Sebha, on March the 2nd issued in the city of Sebha, on March the 2nd 1977. (The Transformation from the Republic to 1977. (The Transformation from the Republic to the Jamahiriya.the Jamahiriya.

• In that Declaration, the Libyan people decided to In that Declaration, the Libyan people decided to implement a new direct democracy system based implement a new direct democracy system based on People's Conferences and People's on People's Conferences and People's Committees.Committees.

• The system rejects the principle of The system rejects the principle of representation and deputation so that the representation and deputation so that the individual keeps his voice in order to be able to individual keeps his voice in order to be able to speak in the People's Conference and not give speak in the People's Conference and not give up his voice to someone else (as happens in up his voice to someone else (as happens in voting).voting).

• This system transferred the power of the This system transferred the power of the Parliament to the Basic People's Conference Parliament to the Basic People's Conference and the powers of the Representative to the and the powers of the Representative to the ordinary citizen (the member of the ordinary citizen (the member of the Conference).Conference).

• In order to know the mechanism of Direct In order to know the mechanism of Direct Democracy and how it is applied in Libya:Democracy and how it is applied in Libya:

Libya was divided to basic people conferences which cover whole Libyan territories.Libyans (Men & Women) over 18 years old are members of these basic people conferences (BPC) according to their place of living.

X

Basic People’s Conference•All inhabitants of (X) area are members of this BPC.

•The members choose a Secretariat of five people to organize meetings, draft conclusions and follow up the execution of the peoples decisions.

• The members also choose a People’s committee to execute their decisions.

Basic People's ConferencesBasic People's Conferences

The Basic People's Conferences have the power The Basic People's Conferences have the power to lay down the country's policies and to take to lay down the country's policies and to take decisions in all decisions in all local, regional, national and local, regional, national and internationalinternational issues and themes such as: issues and themes such as:

• Law makingLaw making

• The budgetThe budget

• Development projects and plansDevelopment projects and plans

• Peace and war decisionsPeace and war decisions

• Foreign relationsForeign relations

• And so on.And so on.

• People People meet and discuss freely , express their ideas, meet and discuss freely , express their ideas, thoughts ,believes, without any restrictionsthoughts ,believes, without any restrictions..

• The BPC is a venue for : The BPC is a venue for :

debates, counter views, exchange of ideas debates, counter views, exchange of ideas

leading finally to leading finally to decision-making decision-making

• TThe only challenge is to convince the members of the he only challenge is to convince the members of the conference to accept conference to accept youryour ideas and to adapt them as part ideas and to adapt them as part of their decisions.of their decisions.

People’s Conference Secretariat

1. Secretary of the BPC.2. Deputy Secretary3. Secretary of Committees affairs.4. Secretary of Culture & Media affairs.5. Secretary of Social affairs.

• Secretary of People’s committee for finance and administration supervision

Secretariat of BPCSecretariat of BPC

People’s Committee of BPC.

1. Secretary of the People’s committee of BPC.2. Secretary of PC for Education.3. Secretary of PC for Health.4. Secretary of PC for Culture and Media.5. Secretary of PC for infrastructure.6. Secretary of PC for Agriculture.7. Secretary of PC for Justice.8. Secretary of PC for General security.9. Secretary of PC for Popular Diplomacy.10. Secretary of PC for Foreign affairs.11. Etc…

Each of these executive committeesConsists of Five people.

The General People's Committees :The General People's Committees :The Formation of the General People's Committee of The Formation of the General People's Committee of Education, for instance. How is it selected?Education, for instance. How is it selected?

• Each Basic People's Conference selects a Secretary for Each Basic People's Conference selects a Secretary for Education in the Conference. Therefore, Education in the Conference. Therefore, there are, in the there are, in the Jamahiriya 453 secretariesJamahiriya 453 secretaries of education, constituting, of education, constituting, thereby, the General People's Committee of Education.thereby, the General People's Committee of Education.

• The General People's Congress selects the The General People's Congress selects the Secretary of Secretary of EducationEducation from amongst the secretaries of Education from amongst the secretaries of Education selected at the Basic People's Conference's level.selected at the Basic People's Conference's level.

• The The GeneralGeneral People's Committee of Education with all its People's Committee of Education with all its members meet periodically to review the execution members meet periodically to review the execution mechanisms of the policies and decisions of the Basic mechanisms of the policies and decisions of the Basic People's Conference in the education sector.People's Conference in the education sector.

Agenda Creation

Follow up of execution

Execution of Decisions

•

Decision-making

The Basic People's Conferences draw up the agenda for their sessions in meetings particularly designated for agenda creation.

The Basic People's Conferences convene ordinarily four times, in addition to a few extraordinary meetings if need arises.

Conferences draw up the agenda for their sessions in meetings particularly designated for agenda creation

• When the Basic People's Conferences complete their sessions, the When the Basic People's Conferences complete their sessions, the Secretaries of the Basic People's Conferences convene at the Secretaries of the Basic People's Conferences convene at the Shabiia's level (e.g. Tripoli Shabiia), or at the national level (the Shabiia's level (e.g. Tripoli Shabiia), or at the national level (the General People's Congress) in order to draft the decisions taken General People's Congress) in order to draft the decisions taken by the Basic People's Conferences.by the Basic People's Conferences.

BEARER OF THE CONFERENCES DECISIONS - POSTMAN

The role of the members of the General People's Congress is concentrated on how to put forward the best drafts that will accommodate and bring into harmony the decisions of the Basic People's Conferences, and how to make them convergent without touching their essence.

In order to facilitate decision execution the Secretariat of the Conference/Congress classifies the decisions taken by the Conference/Congress:

according to their fields and refer them to the different People's Committees for execution (education, culture, health, foreign relations, etc.)

according to level of execution:1. Decisions that are to remain at the level of the Basic

People's Conference. They will be referred to the Conference's People's Committee for execution (locally)

2. Decisions that are to be drafted at the Shabiia level (e.g. Tripoli Shabiia). They will be referred by the Secretariat of the Shabiia People's Conference to the Shabiia People's Committee for execution (regionally)

3. Decisions that are to be drafted at the General People's Congress. They will be referred by the Secretariat of the General People's Congress to the General People's Committee and the General People's Committees for execution (nationally), including strategic projects, foreign relations, laws, the general budget for the country, etc.

• As a result of these sessions the members might As a result of these sessions the members might register gratification as to the process of register gratification as to the process of execution, or condemnation leading to alteration of execution, or condemnation leading to alteration of Secretariats of conferences even before end of Secretariats of conferences even before end of legal duration.legal duration.

• The duration of assignment for People's The duration of assignment for People's Conferences and Committees is four years per Conferences and Committees is four years per term (according to Law No. 1 regarding People's term (according to Law No. 1 regarding People's Conferences and Committees)Conferences and Committees)

• An individual does not have the right to be An individual does not have the right to be assigned to the same position more that two assigned to the same position more that two terms, although he/she can be selected for another terms, although he/she can be selected for another position.position.

Advisory Establishments for the Basic People's Advisory Establishments for the Basic People's ConferencesConferences

1.1. Planning Councils:Planning Councils:– Councils lead by secretaries of Planning Councils Councils lead by secretaries of Planning Councils

selected by the Basic People's Conferences. The are selected by the Basic People's Conferences. The are established at the Basic People's Conference level, at established at the Basic People's Conference level, at the Shabiia level and they all converge in the General the Shabiia level and they all converge in the General Planning Council at the national levelPlanning Council at the national level

– In addition to the secretaries mentioned above, the In addition to the secretaries mentioned above, the councils include in their membership the universities, councils include in their membership the universities, research institutes, expert confederations, houses of research institutes, expert confederations, houses of expertise and so onexpertise and so on

– The councils either prepare plans and put them forward The councils either prepare plans and put them forward to the Basic People's Conferences, or present the to the Basic People's Conferences, or present the scientific plans that will ensure the execution of the scientific plans that will ensure the execution of the decisions of the Basic People's Conferences and decisions of the Basic People's Conferences and present them to the People's Committees to carry them present them to the People's Committees to carry them out.out.

2.2.Explanatory Memoranda:Explanatory Memoranda:

After the Basic People's Conferences set up After the Basic People's Conferences set up their agendas the concerned establishments, their agendas the concerned establishments, syndicates, trade unions, and People's syndicates, trade unions, and People's Committees prepare explanatory memoranda Committees prepare explanatory memoranda about the topics that require more clarification in about the topics that require more clarification in order to help the citizens make the right decisionorder to help the citizens make the right decision

The confederations, syndicates, trade unions The confederations, syndicates, trade unions and People's Committees present memoranda to and People's Committees present memoranda to clarify certain issues or as projects for decision-clarify certain issues or as projects for decision-making. The Basic People's Conferences have making. The Basic People's Conferences have the right to accept, modify or discard these the right to accept, modify or discard these memoranda all togethermemoranda all together

B P CB a s i c

P o p u l a rC o n f e r e n c e

B P CSB P C

S e c r e t a r i a t o f B P C

SB P C

P C

P e o p l e ’sC o m m i t t e e

O fB P C

P C

G e n e r a l P e o p l e ’s

C o n g r e s s

S e c r e t a r i a t o f G P C

G e n e r a l P e o p l e ’s

C o m m i t t e e

STATISTICS AND NUMBERSSTATISTICS AND NUMBERS Volume of Popular Participation in Execution and Follow up in Direct Democracy Volume of Popular Participation in Execution and Follow up in Direct Democracy

• The Basic People's Conferences presently are: 453The Basic People's Conferences presently are: 453• The Shabiias (regions) are: 32The Shabiias (regions) are: 32• The total number of selected individuals in every Basic The total number of selected individuals in every Basic

People's Conference are: 92People's Conference are: 92 (the people's committees (the people's committees =85, the Secretariat=5, follow up=2).=85, the Secretariat=5, follow up=2).

• Thus, the total number of selected individuals at the Thus, the total number of selected individuals at the level of Basic People's Conferences = 41676level of Basic People's Conferences = 41676

• The selected individuals at the Shabiias level = 800The selected individuals at the Shabiias level = 800• The total number of the popularly selected individuals The total number of the popularly selected individuals

are: 41676+800= 42476are: 41676+800= 42476• A Very Important Note:A Very Important Note:All these individuals All these individuals do not represent the peopledo not represent the people in decision-making, a in decision-making, a

process which is the right of all Libyan citizens, male and female, process which is the right of all Libyan citizens, male and female, over eighteen years of age through their membership in the Basic over eighteen years of age through their membership in the Basic People's ConferencesPeople's Conferences..

Thanks…Thanks…

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