Religious parties banned under new Libya law

Libyan authorities on Tuesday passed legislation governing the formation of political organisations which rules out religious, regional and tribal platforms and bans foreign funding.

Political parties must have a minimum of 250 founding members while associations need only 100, according to legislation which was agreed on late Tuesday, he said.

Libya’s electoral committee warned on April that legislation on forming political parties must be adopted soon if June elections are to go ahead as scheduled.

But even without it, dozens of parties have launched in the past months with the intention of contesting elections to a constituent assembly, which should be held by June 19.

A full 120 of the assembly’s seats are reserved for independent candidates but political associations are to contest the remaining 80.

Political organisations of any kind were banned for decades under the iron-fisted rule of Moamer Kadhafi, who was toppled and killed in last year’s popular uprising.