Libyans propose the return of the monarchy to solve the political dilemma

The Royal Crown Prince of Libya, Mohammed Al-Rida Al-Hassan Al-Senussi (61 years old), seeks to breathe new life into the monarchy by launching an initiative calling for the reinstatement of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Libya of 1951, requesting entry into a comprehensive national dialogue to extricate the country from the quagmire of conflicts in which it has been floundering since the collapse of… The regime of former President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Within the framework of a series of discussions led by the Royal Crown Prince to reach a national vision centered around the legitimate solution, democratic rule, and Libyan national identity under the umbrella of the return of the constitutional monarchy to Libya, the Senussi heir met in the Turkish capital, Istanbul, in the middle of this month, a number of components of Libyan society, including members of the Council of Ministers. Representatives and notables from the Senate of the city of Zawiya (west) and sheikhs and tribal leaders in the eastern and southern Libyans.

European support

The Crown Al-Senussi initiative received support from the European Union, embodied in a report by “policymakers in the European Union,” which described the initiative as “the most rational” to break the political impasse that is hitting Libya at the present time. The European report continued that the new national dialogue led by Prince Muhammad Al-Senussi “It rises above narrow interests to reunite a divided Libya.”

The European report reminded of the consequences of the chaos that Libya is experiencing on the future of the European Union, most notably the growing irregular migration towards the Old Continent, in addition to the security threats led by terrorist groups active off the southern flank of Europe.

Another knot

On the contrary, a number of observers of Libyan affairs confirmed that the monarchy that was overthrown by Gaddafi in a coup in 1969 is no longer suitable for the era in which the country is currently living, especially since reintroducing an old constitution is impossible.

Political analyst Hazem Al-Rayes explained that it cannot be denied that there are a number of Libyan people who support the return of the monarchy, considering that it is a system with which the Libyan state lived its heyday, but on the other hand, there is a wide spectrum of citizens who reject its return as it is not fit for the current era.

Al-Rais told “Independent Arabia” that the Libyan reality, which suffers from the proliferation of weapons, differences in political orientations, and a multiplicity of security wings, cannot coexist either with the monarchy or with the 1951 Constitution, stressing that the return of the monarchy could complicate the Libyan political scene and cause other divisions to it. You move forward and don’t go back.

He considered that what the Crown Prince is doing is an attempt to draw attention to him again, especially since he enjoys symbolism among the Libyans, and he continued that the Senussi heir can benefit from the Libyans’ love for the Senussi legacy by running for presidential elections if the parties to the conflict agree to hold elections as head of the Libyan state, for example, or as president. For the new government, it is expected that it will be successful due to its symbolism among the Libyans. Soon after that, a popular referendum will be held on the system of government, whether royal or republican.

Al-Rais pointed out that “the initiative led by the Royal Crown Prince is nothing more than an attempt to refresh the memory of the Libyans and test their pulse on the possibility of the return of the monarchy or not in light of the failure of all local and international initiatives to resolve the Libyan problem, which has entered into a political stalemate that has deepened further since Abdullah Batili took office.” Heading the United Nations Support Mission in Libya.

Libyan umbrella

On the other hand, the head of the preparatory committee for the National Conference to activate the Constitution of Independence and the return of the constitutional monarchy to Libya, Ashraf Boudwara, confirmed that the consultations and meetings initiated by Crown Prince Muhammad Al-Hassan Al-Rida Al-Senussi with all Libyan components cannot be merely a draw to the attention of the Libyans, especially since they aim to reach a comprehensive national dialogue. It brings together citizens to agree to invoke constitutional legitimacy to resolve the dispute and crisis in the country and establish the foundations of democracy, stability and security.

He continued that the Royal Crown Prince’s call to reinstate the 1951 Independence Constitution was not arbitrary, but rather intentional. It came after the failure of the international community’s initiatives over 12 years to provide a solution to the Libyans, and also after the failure of the Constitution Drafting Committee to reach consensus among its members on producing a draft of the constitution and its exceeding the deadline. The legal requirements specified in the Constitutional Declaration (four months), especially since 13 members of the Commission representing 13 major electoral districts such as Benghazi, Misrata, Al-Zawiya, Al-Bayda, Kufra, Shahat and other cities, in addition to the Tebu and Amazigh components, announced their complete rejection of the draft constitution by appealing to the Commission’s sessions.

Boudowara added that the monarchy is capable of overcoming the political and security divisions that are plaguing the country, especially since it enjoys the consensus of the three regions (Tripoli, Cyrenaica, and Fezzan), and the Crown Prince can move west, east, and south, unlike the rest of the current politicians. The constitutional monarchy is an essential part of the formation of the Libyan state and is closely linked. With the Libyan identity and the liberation of the country from the Italian occupation, which makes it gain momentum locally and internationally.

He said that the monarchy is an umbrella for all Libyans without exception or exclusion, especially since it depends on a constitutional system that includes an elected parliament, a legislative body composed of two chambers, an executive government, and the institutions of a true constitutional state based on justice and law.