Homeland Party (Libya)

The Homeland Party[2] or Libyan National Party[3] (also styled Alwattan Party, Arabic: حزب الوطن Ħizb al-Waṭan or Ħizb el-Waṭan) is a conservative Islamist political party in Libya, founded in November 2011,[4] after the Libyan Civil War and the overthrow of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. It is endorsed and led by Ali al-Sallabi, an influential Salafist cleric. Members include also Abdelhakim Belhadj, Mahmoud Hamza, Ali Zeidan and Mansour Saif Al-Nasar.[1][5] At the time of its establishment, it had the provisional name of National Gathering for Freedom, Justice and Development.

Not to be confused with Union for Homeland.
For other uses, see Al-Watan Party.
Homeland Party
حزب الوطن
Ħizb al-Waṭan
FounderAli al-Sallabi
FoundedNovember 2011
IdeologyIslamism
Islamic democracy
Conservatism[1]
International affiliationMuslim Brotherhood
Website
http://wattan.ly/, https://www.facebook.com/alwattan.ly/

Al-Sallabi has strong ties to both Yusuf al-Qaradawi, spiritual leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, and Abdelhakim Belhadj, former "emir" of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. The party calls for "moderate" Islamic democracy, but demands to base a new Libyan constitution on Sharia law.[6]

The Arabic word waṭan can be translated as "nation"[1] or "homeland".[7] The party claims to have offices in 27 Libyan cities.[1] Regardless, the party won no seats in the Libyan General National Congress election of 2012.

See also

References
  1. Khan, Umar (10 April 2012), "Three-day event in Tripoli to announce "Nation Party"", Libya Herald, retrieved 5 December 2012
  2. Libya: Analysis by Kamil Al-Tawil of Jihadi Types` Attitudes to Political Life
  3. Coker, Margaret (22 June 2012), "Libya Election Panel Battles Ghosts", The Wall Street Journal
  4. Beaumont, Peter (3 December 2011), "Political Islam poised to dominate the new world bequeathed by Arab spring", The Guardian, London, retrieved 31 January 2012
  5. Nordland, Rod; Kirkpatrick, David D. (15 September 2011). "Islamists' Growing Sway Raises Questions for Libya". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  6. Spencer, Richard (19 November 2011), "Libyan cleric announces new party on lines of 'moderate' Islamic democracy", The Telegraph, London, retrieved 31 January 2012
  7. "The Hizb Al Watan official homepage". 20 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
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