Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution

{{Main|History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi}}

After the coup d'état on 1 September 1969, in which King Idris I was deposed, Libya was governed by the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) headed by Gaddafi. On 2 March 1977, after the adoption of the Declaration on the Establishment of the Authority of the People, the RCC was abolished and the supreme power passed into the hands of the General People's Congress.[http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/ly01000_.html Text of the Declaration] {{in lang|en}} Gaddafi then became Secretary-General of the General People's Congress.

On 2 March 1979, Gaddafi renounced all public functions and was designated the "Leader" ({{Transliteration|ar|DIN|Qāʾid}}) of the Libyan state and was accorded the honorifics "Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" or "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution" in government statements and the official press.{{cite web|publisher=US Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs |url= https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5425.htm |title=Background Note: Libya |date=October 2007|access-date=2018-03-11}}

On 9 March 1990, the General People's Congress adopted a resolution, the Declaration of Revolutionary Legitimacy, which declared that Gaddafi had absolute legitimacy and legal authority over Libya's people and national institutions because of his role in leading the coup in 1969.{{Cite book |last1=Ocampo |first1=Luis Moreno |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KaCTEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA437 |title=War and Justice in the 21st Century: A Case Study on the International Criminal Court and Its Interaction with the War on Terror |last2=Ocampo |first2=Luis Gabriel Moreno |date=2022 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-762897-3 |pages=437–438 |language=en}} This came after he asked the Basic People's Congresses to give him institutional legitimacy.{{Cite book |last=Bona |first=Giacomina De |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hx0kvEA5ccEC&pg=PA85 |title=Human Rights in Libya: The Impact of International Society Since 1969 |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-69058-4 |page=85 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=January 2012 |title=Report of the Independent Civil Society Fact-Finding Mission to Libya |url=https://www.icnl.org/wp-content/uploads/Libya_FFM_Libya-Report.pdf |access-date=13 November 2023 |website=Independent Civil Society Mission to Libya |page=13}} The resolution made any orders issued by Gaddafi, such as directives and resolutions, legally binding and required them to be followed without question.{{Cite book |last=Al-Werfalli |first=Mabroka |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FXpKS5KYFgcC&pg=PT81 |title=Political Alienation in Libya: Assessing Citizens' Political Attitude and Behaviour |year=2022 |publisher=Garnet Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-0-86372-444-2 |page=81 |language=en |access-date=13 November 2023}} It also designated Gaddafi as the "supreme leader".{{Cite news |date=11 March 1990 |title=Kadafi Designated Supreme Leader Over All Libya |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-03-11-mn-297-story.html |access-date=13 November 2023}} In effect, this resolution confirmed Gaddafi's role as the de facto head of state and the ultimate authority in the country.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u8U0AQAAIAAJ |title=Country Report: Libya |date=1992 |publisher=The Unit |page=2 |language=en |access-date=13 November 2023}} As well as being the de facto head of state, Gaddafi became the de facto head of government, leaving him with absolute power in Libya.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2011 |title=Report of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |url=https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/a.hrc.17.44_auv.pdf |access-date=13 November 2023 |website=Human Rights Council |page=19}} Despite these changes, the Libyan state continued to claim that Gaddafi had no power as he still had no official government position.

Although Gaddafi's title as "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution" was officially used only from 1979, it is often applied for the whole period of Gaddafi's rule. Although Gaddafi had no official government function from 1979, it was understood that he exercised near-absolute control over the government and the country. His 42 years in power prior to the First Libyan Civil War in 2011 have made him the fifth longest-ruling non-royal national leader since 1900, as well as the longest-ruling Arab leader.Charles Féraud, "Annales Tripolitaines", the Arabic version named "Al Hawliyat Al Libiya", translated to Arabic by Mohammed Abdel Karim El Wafi, Dar el Ferjani, Tripoli, Libya, vol. 3, p. 797.

Although ousted from Tripoli at the end of August 2011, Gaddafi retained this de facto position as leader of the Pro-Gaddafi forces, until his defeat and killing by the Anti-Gaddafi forces in the Battle of Sirte on 20 October 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/10/20111020111520869621.html |title=Muammar Gaddafi killed in Sirte |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=2011-10-20 |access-date=2011-10-20}}

{{Main|Politics of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi}}

The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya was formally managed on the basis of the political ideology set out in The Green Book. The ideology was based on the idea of direct democracy, and direct decision-making of all citizens on all political matters. Across the country there were the basic people's congresses, which were considered the original holders of sovereignty. These included the composition of its adult citizens both men and women. Of their managerial and executive bodies formed the municipal people's congresses and committees, and then the General People's Congress (legislative body) and the General People's Committee (executive body).

Gaddafi rejected the parliamentary representation of the people or by elected representatives, as the General People's Congress was seen as a coordinating body that brought together all the popular congresses and committees, and not elected members who made decisions on behalf of the people. All laws were approved by the basic people's congresses, and then finally adopted by the General People's Congress.

One of Gaddafi's plans was passing of the country’s leadership on to his son, Saif al-Islam, and the plan’s potential ramifications; the second is the political line adopted by the latter, and the internal and external roles he has played. Saif al-Islam was portrayed as the leader of the reform movement in contrast with the "conservatives" represented by the regime’s old guard, in particular the Revolutionary Committees.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/bedouinocracy-libya-between-hereditary-succession-and-reform/|title = Bedouinocracy: Libya Between Hereditary Succession and Reform|journal = Arab Reform Initiative|date = 29 January 2010|last1 = Khechana|first1 = Rachid}}

• Paramount leader
• Supreme Leader (North Korean title)

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{{Muammar Gaddafi}}

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Category:History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi

Category:Muammar Gaddafi

Category:Politics of Libya

Category:Positions of authority

Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership