Libya bans parties based on religious principles

Interesting news from Libya.  Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council recently issued a law that bans parties based on religious principles.  Mohammed Al-Hareizi claims the provision was designed to preserve "national unity."

"Parties shouldn't be based on ethnic or religious ideologies," he said. "We don't want the government to be divided by these ideological differences."

After the death of Moammar Gadhafi last October Islamic parties and movements have moved to fill the political vacuum.  In other countries, such as Tunisia and Egypt, Islamists have made significant political gains.  Islamists, along with other political and religious groups, were heavily suppressed under the former dictatorship.

Perhaps the transitional council fears the same will happen in the country’s first general elections, set to occur in two months.  It’s certainly set to cause trouble for the most organized political movement in Libya, the Muslim Brotherhood.

"This is not democracy," said Mohammed Gaira, spokesman for the Freedom and Development party founded by the Muslim Brotherhood earlier this year. "We are a nationalist party and Islam is our religion. This law is unacceptable and only suits liberals."