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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Libya
Index
The 1971 creation of the ASU, an imitation of the Egyptian
counterpart of the same name, marked the first stage in the drive
to modify subnational government. The ASU was envisioned as the
direct link between the people and the government (and particularly
the RCC). Its purpose was to provide the masses with a system that
allowed for participation and representation (thus fostering
national unity), commitment to the revolution, and loyalty to the
RCC) but that could be carefully directed by the RCC. Resolutions
passed by ASU organs required RCC decrees or orders for
implementation, and the RCC could annul any ASU decision at any
level and dissolve any ASU organ. As chairman of the RCC, Qadhafi
became president of the ASU.
The ASU was organized on three tiers: at the basic (or local)
level, the governorate level, and the national level. Membership
was based on both geography (or residence) and function
(workplaces, universities, and government bureaucracies). ASU units
at both the basic and governorate level were composed of two
elements, the conference and the committee. All local and
functional ASU members within a basic area constituted the Basic
Conference. The Basic Committee, which functioned as the
conference's executive, comprised ten members elected by and from
the conference. The committee in turn elected its own secretariat
and appointed special subcommittees to investigate matters and
suggest policies of local interest. The Governorate Conference
consisted of two or more representatives elected from each basic
unit, the number of representatives depending on the size of the
basic unit's membership. The Governorate Committee consisted of
twenty members elected by and from conference members. The
committee also elected its secretariat and appointed research
subcommittees. ASU university units were equivalent to, and
organized in the same manner as, ASU governorate units.
The ASU unit at the national level was the National Congress
(sometimes seen as National Conference), an early version of the
GPC. It comprised ten, fourteen, or twenty representatives from
each ASU governorate unit (depending on the size of the membership
of that unit). The National Congress also included members of the
RCC and Council of Ministers and delegates from functional
organizations.
From its inception, Libyan officials stressed that the ASU was
not a political party; rather, it was a mass organization that
formed an activist alliance comprising members of various social
forces within the population (laborers, farmers, soldiers, women,
and so forth) that were committed to the principles of the
revolution. Emphasis was placed on "toilers," or workers--initially
farmers and laborers--who were to constitute at least half of the
membership of all ASU units at all levels. The worker category was
later expanded to include--along with farmers and laborers--
professionals, artisans, employees, traders, and students.
Intellectuals and nonexploitive capitalists were considered workers
at one time but were later excluded. Membership in the ASU was open
to anyone from the worker categories who was over eighteen years of
age, in good legal standing, of sound mental health, and not a
member of the former royal family or associated with the defunct
monarchical government. Exceptions in these cases could be granted
by the RCC. By the time of the first ASU National Congress in 1972,
membership was reported to include over 300,000 of some 1 million
eligible persons.
A second stage in subnational government revision occurred with
the passage of several laws in 1972. Through these laws the
districts and subdistricts were abolished, reducing administrative
subdivisions to the governorate and the municipality.
(Municipalities could be subdivided into branches and other units,
but these were secondary, created only when needed on a municipal
council's recommendation to the prime minister.) Certain
ministerial prerogatives in administration, finance, and local
civil service matters were transferred to the governors and mayors.
The functions of the Ministry of Municipalities were reabsorbed by
the Ministry of Interior, and the prime minister supervised a
system of representative's councils at the governorate and
municipal levels, councils that were influenced significantly by
the ASU.
Governorate and municipal councils were concerned primarily
with implementing national policies and drafting plans and
regulations pertaining to the provision of regular and emergency
health, education, social welfare, and transportation services, as
well as with undertaking development and agricultural improvement
projects. A governorate had primary authority over these functions
when they crossed municipal boundaries.
Governorate councils comprised both appointed and elected
seats. The prime minister appointed ASU members, upon the
governor's advice and the ASU's recommendation, to fill ten seats.
The popular elections to fill the other seats were supervised by
the ASU. The councils also included the area directors of health,
education, and other services. Municipal councils were composed of
six appointed ASU members, other members of the ASU who were
elected through ASU-supervised popular elections, and municipal
service administrators. All council decisions were sent to the
prime minister, who could reject them. If the council persisted,
the matter would be sent to the Council of Ministers for final
review. The prime minister also was empowered to dissolve councils.
Data as of 1987
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