The General People’s Congress was the sole legislative authority of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya since to the country's establishment in 1977 until it's dissolution in 2011 after the Libyan Civil War. It exercised the duties stipulated in Article 24 of Law No. (1) of 1369 FDP. Though similar to a traditional parliament, the General People's Congress wasn't a parliament and wasn't made up of permanent representatives, rather it comprised of the annual meeting of secretaries of all Basic People's Congresses in the Jamahiriya. These secretaries were administrators of the Basic People's Congresses, Basic People's Committees, as well as worker federations, syndicates and professional associations. Consisting of 2,700 delegates, the General People's Congress was the second largest legislature on Earth, second to China by only a few hundred. Before the end of each year, an annual general session of the General People's Congress was convened. Emergency or extraordinary sessions were also called to deal with specific issues of public policy.[1][2]
The General People's Congress elected a Secretariat to manage and coordinate meetings, the Secretary General of the Secretariat was considered head of state of Libya. Issues surrounding the review of treaties, agreements, cooperation between the people's congresses and strengthening ties with foreign bodies, issuing of pardons, revoking Libyan citizenship and approving grants of political asylum were dealt with by the Secretariat as well.
Composition
1 - Secretaries of the Basic People's Congresses. 2 - Secretaries of the People's Committees of the Basic People's Congresses.
3 - Secretaries of the People's Congresses of Shaabiyat.
4 - Secretaries of social affairs in the popular congresses of Shaabiyat.
5 - Secretaries of the People's Committees for Shaabiyat.
6- The general secretaries of federations, trade unions and professional associations.
7 - Secretariat of the General People's Congress.
8 - Secretariat of the General People's Committee.
9 - Secretary of the General Planning Council.
10 - Secretary of the General People's Committee of the People's Control Authority.
11 - Assistant Secretary of the General People's Committee of the People's Oversight Agency.
12 - President of the Supreme Court.
13 - President of the People's Court.
14- Head of the People's Prosecution Office.
15- The Attorney General.
16- Governor of the Central Bank of Libya.
17- Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Libya.
18 - Assistant Secretaries of the General People's Committees for the sectors.
19 - Those chosen from the General People's Congress.
General Secretariat
Secretary General of the General People's Congress
Secretary of Social Affairs
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Libyan General People's Congress.
Secretary of People's Congresses Affairs
Secretary of the People's Committees Affairs
Secretary of Trade Unions and Federations Affairs
Secretary of Legal Affairs