Special Political and Decolonization Committee
Libya
Portugal
Praneet Gundepudi
Unfortunately, political splintering, wars, and rebuilding are common and sometimes necessary aspects of a properly liberated nation, and especially in the case of Libya, the international effects extend outside of the nation itself. Many African and Asian nations have the responsibility of dealing with the integrated religious nature of their governments handed down to them from prior governments, and doing so, marginalized religious separatists groups get a false sense of power and attempt to seize control of the government which the radical Islamists in the Grand National Congress of Libya have done. Currently the efforts of the United Nations have been undermined as domestic conflict has erased all the progress the UN may have made, and now, Libya remains in a fractured political state of the more secular House of Representatives (HoR) backed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the majority of neighboring national support versus the Grand National Congress (GNC) / the Government of National Accord (GNA).
Much of the functionality of the GNA is solid as it has a multi-cameral government, however, the dominant issue is the lack of secularity within it. Even if an entire nation is unified under a single religion, there may be different interpretations or sects of the religion itself. Therefore, what may be proper by one group may be seen as irrational by another. When analyzing successful states, such as Portugal, much of their success is derived from their secular governments in which religion is not an actual factor. However, in the case of Libya, where the religious organization has the power to overtake the secular government, compromise is the only viable option. Portugal has one branch under its Prime Minister, and other countries may have multiple branches such as a Congress or a Parliament, but the purpose of such an organization is to be able to represent the citizenship body, which Libya does not have. Additionally, Portugal has had a stable head of government for much of its existence as a Republic, and one of the main reasons the GNA failed was due to the instability it had at the leadership. At one point, Libya has had nine separate deputy presidents at one point while Portugal has only ever had one Prime Minister at one point. The splitting of power and instability may make decision making more difficult and reduce the order within the government, allowing it to collapse from the inside, which should not happen. In the rebuilding phase, it is imperative for the influential Western nations to set the precedent for the government in its formation for the future.
It is imperative for there to be an oversight committee to watch monitor the progress of leadership in the government of Libya formed by ambassadors of the most politically stable and secure Western nations of the United Nations. Their main role will be to ensure that there is only a proper leader at once as well as ensure that the government is accommodating for a bicameral decision-making body. Due to the necessity of the Islamic sector in the government, there must be a compromise between it and the secular section of the government to create two branches of decision-making politicians. Not only should the United Nations model the new government after the Western nations, but they should also ensure that it is maintaining the same trajectory over time, and not collapsing as it is currently.
- Praneet Gundepudi
