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{{short description|Political party in Libya}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| colorcode = {{party color|Justice and Construction Party}}
| name = Justice and Construction Party
| native_name = {{lang|ar|حزب العدالة والبناء}}<br /><small>Hizb Al-Adala Wal-Bina</small>
| logo =
| chairperson = [[Emad al-Banani]]
| spokesperson = [[Mohamed Gaair]]
| founder = [[Mohamed Sowan]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2012|03|03|df=y}}
| headquarters = [[Tripoli]], Libya
| ideology = [[Islamic democracy]]<br />[[Islamism]]
| position = [[Right-wing]]
| religion = [[Sunni Islam]]
| international = [[Muslim Brotherhood]]
| seats1_title = [[General National Congress]]
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|17|200|hex={{party color|Justice and Construction Party}}}}
| colours = {{Color box|{{party color|Justice and Construction Party}}|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|#CF971E|border=darkgray}} [[Azure (color)|Azure]] and [[Gold (color)|gold]]
| native_name_lang = ar
| website = {{URL|http://www.ab.ly|www.ab.ly}}
| country = Libya
}}

The '''Justice and Construction Party'''<ref>{{Cite news |title=Muslim Brotherhood formally launches party |newspaper=Libya Herald |date=3 March 2012 |url=http://www.libyaherald.com/muslim-brotherhood-formally-launches-party/ |access-date=8 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016003952/http://www.libyaherald.com/2012/03/03/muslim-brotherhood-formally-launches-party/ |archive-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Dominique |last=Soguel |title=Muslim Brother picked to lead new Libya party |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=8 March 2012 |date=3 March 2012 |location=Tripoli |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-03/middle-east/31118855_1_gaddafi-party-north-african-nation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120701141951/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-03/middle-east/31118855_1_gaddafi-party-north-african-nation |work=[[The Times of India]] |archive-date= 1 July 2012 }}</ref> (JCP) or '''Justice and Development Party''' ({{lang-ar|حزب العدالة والبناء}}, ''{{transl|ar|Hizb Al-Adala Wal-Bina}}'')<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=53172 |title=Libya’s Unquiet Election |first=Patrick |last=Haimzadeh |newspaper=Middle East Online |date=3 July 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616152828/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=53172 |archive-date=16 June 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> is a [[political party]] in [[Libya]] associated with the [[Muslim Brotherhood]]. It was officially founded on 3 March 2012 in [[Tripoli]].

[[Emad al-Banani]] of Misrata is the head of the party, and Mohamed Gaair is its [[Spokesperson|spokesman]]. While it finished second in the election of 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/05/01/the_rise_of_libyas_muslim_brotherhood_justice_and_construction_party|title=Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood Struggles to Grow|date=4 May 2014|work=Foreign Policy|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028012436/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/05/01/the_rise_of_libyas_muslim_brotherhood_justice_and_construction_party|archive-date=28 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> it is believed to have attracted enough independents to have become the majority, and infighting in the [[National Forces Alliance]] has allowed the Brotherhood's political arm to gradually consolidate control over Libya. The party backed the election of [[Nouri Abusahmain]], a [[Berbers|Berber]] and moderate [[Islamist]], over the secular candidates, who were defeated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-congress-idUSBRE95O0VQ20130625|title=Libya assembly votes in first Berber as new chief|work=Reuters|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924041520/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/25/us-libya-congress-idUSBRE95O0VQ20130625|archive-date=24 September 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> This gave the Brotherhood a strong position so that once [[Ali Zeidan]] was ousted from politics<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25832818|title=BBC News - Islamist party quits Libya's government|work=BBC News|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023003028/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25832818|archive-date=23 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/01/16/sack-zeidan-or-take-blame-for-libyas-woes-muslim-brotherhood-tells-congress/#axzz30mtYnyJV |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505205214/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/01/16/sack-zeidan-or-take-blame-for-libyas-woes-muslim-brotherhood-tells-congress/#axzz30mtYnyJV |archive-date=5 May 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/11/congress-sacks-zeidan-elections-for-new-legislature-in-july/#axzz30mtYnyJV |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505221922/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/03/11/congress-sacks-zeidan-elections-for-new-legislature-in-july/#axzz30mtYnyJV |archive-date=5 May 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> over his mishandling of ''[[MV Morning Glory|Morning Glory]]'' oil shipments, the Brotherhood had a speaker-president, Abusahmain, with so much authority that they could eventually appoint a moderate [[Islamist]] and pro-business politician,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/10808074/Islamist-backed-businessman-named-Libya-PM.html|title=Islamist-backed businessman named Libya PM|date=4 May 2014|work=The Telegraph|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027215606/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/10808074/Islamist-backed-businessman-named-Libya-PM.html|archive-date=27 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ahmed Maiteeq]], as prime minister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/05/confusion-surrounds-libya-pm-election-201454195446967363.html|title=Confusion surrounds Libya PM's election|author=Agencies|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521211535/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/05/confusion-surrounds-libya-pm-election-201454195446967363.html|archive-date=21 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/05/libya-speaker-confirms-new-pm-appointment-201455112129860614.html|title=Libya speaker confirms new PM's appointment|author=Agencies|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508142458/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/05/libya-speaker-confirms-new-pm-appointment-201455112129860614.html|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The Brotherhood is continuing to consolidate its power; by backing a [[Berbers|Berber]] as president, the JCP has gained stronger support from Libya's ethnic minorities.

==History==
The [[Libya]]n branch of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] was founded in 1949; however, it did not operate openly until after the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]]. A public conference was held for the first time in Libya on 17 November 2011 and attended by Libyan Muslim Brotherhood leader [[Suleiman Abdelkader]] and Tunisian politician [[Rashid Ghannouchi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-muslim-brotherhood-idUSTRE7AG2OY20111117|agency=[[Reuters]]|title=Muslim Brotherhood goes public with Libya summit|date=17 November 2011|first=Francois|last=Murphy|location=Benghazi|access-date=8 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108142418/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/17/us-libya-muslim-brotherhood-idUSTRE7AG2OY20111117|archive-date=8 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> On 24 December 2011, the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood announced its intent to form a political party to contest the [[2012 Libyan Public National Conference election|Public National Conference election]] scheduled for June 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=7553 |work=The Tripoli Post |title=Muslim Brotherhood to Contest Libyan Elections as Independent Party |date=24 December 2011 |access-date=8 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505212829/http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=1&i=7553 |archive-date= 5 May 2015 }}</ref>

The official founding of the party was declared on 3 March 2012 despite the lack of electoral laws governing the foundation of political parties to run in elections. It was launched in Tripoli at a convention attended by 1,400 representatives, many of whom were previously jailed or exiled, from 18 cities. Former political prisoner [[Mohamed Sowan]] of [[Misrata]] was chosen as the inaugural head of the party. Amongst the party's other original representatives were several more rebel leaders from the civil war and wealthy Libyan [[expatriate]]s who returned after the war. According to [[Al Jazeera]], the JCP was the country's most organised political force even at the time of its founding,<ref name=Aljaz>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/03/201233225029346350.html|title=Muslim Brotherhood forms party in Libya|work=Al Jazeera|date=4 March 2012|access-date=8 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307122429/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/03/201233225029346350.html|archive-date=7 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> similar to the [[Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood]], which won a plurality in the [[2011–12 Egyptian parliamentary election]]s after its own revolution, which ousted [[Hosni Mubarak]] from power.

Justice and Construction competed in the [[2012 Libyan General National Congress election]], receiving 10% of the vote and winning 17 of the 80 party-list seats. It placed second behind the [[National Forces Alliance]]. Furthermore, 17 of the 120 independents in the congress who were associated with the party were elected.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/research_papers/2013_RP04_lac.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052429/https://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/research_papers/2013_RP04_lac.pdf |archive-date=4 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2014, the Justice and Construction Party announced that it was withdrawing from government in Libya after failing to secure enough votes to unseat Prime Minister [[Ali Zeidan]]. All five of the party’s ministers resigned as a result of the futile effort.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-25832818|title=Islamists quit Libya government|date=21 January 2014|work=BBC News|access-date=27 November 2017|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202094911/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-25832818|archive-date=2 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Ideology==
The Muslim Brotherhood's spokesman Mohamed Gaair stated that the party would seek "to work on security and stability. We are still a new founded party, but we will work on the basis of Islamic principles and that doesn't mean the shallow meaning of religion most people think of like banning women from leaving home." This followed an announcement by the [[National Transitional Council]]'s interim government, which promoted sharia law as the foundation for new Libyan legislation.<ref name=Aljaz/> The party has also called for a nationally united government to end sectarianism and further conflict<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=32490 |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414081516/http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=32490 |archive-date=14 April 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> through civil dialogue in post-revolutionary Libya.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=32493 |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413023305/http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=32493 |archive-date=13 April 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Criticism==
A 2014 article by ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' described the JCP as a "party bruised" and noted that the Muslim Brotherhood’s local Libyan party had not garnered high levels of public support.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/05/01/libyas-muslim-brotherhood-struggles-to-grow/|title=Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood Struggles to Grow|website=Foreign Policy|access-date=27 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033706/https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/05/01/libyas-muslim-brotherhood-struggles-to-grow/|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2016, former prime minister [[Khalifa al-Ghawil]] stated in an interview that the JCP was ruining the country. He had made similar statements before, ultimately claiming that the Muslim Brotherhood had an "agenda that was against the interests of Libyans".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.libyaherald.com/2016/11/17/justice-and-construction-party-to-sue-ghwell/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041324/https://www.libyaherald.com/2016/11/17/justice-and-construction-party-to-sue-ghwell/ |archive-date=1 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2017, the [[House of Representatives (Libya)|Libyan House of Representatives]] (HoR) composed a list of terrorists inside Libya with links to [[Qatar]], a widely purported [[State-sponsored terrorism|sponsor of terrorism]]. The list was signed by Talal Almaihub, chairman of the Defense and National Security Committee of the HoR.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.libyaherald.com/2017/06/11/muslim-brotherhood-party-says-hor-terror-list-is-defamation/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032210/https://www.libyaherald.com/2017/06/11/muslim-brotherhood-party-says-hor-terror-list-is-defamation/ |archive-date=1 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Multiple Muslim Brotherhood members were named in the list, including executive member Nizar Kiwan; major donor Abdulrazaq al-Aradi; and Ali Salabi, who was called "the man considered to the ideological brains of the Muslim Brotherhood" by the ''[[Libya Herald]]''. In response the JCP deemed the list defamation.<ref name=":1" />

===Protests===
In July 2013, angry protesters stormed the party’s offices in Tripoli following the assassination of prominent Libyan political activist Abdelsalam al-Mismari, who was purportedly killed by the Brotherhood.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23474410|title=Activist dies in Benghazi killings|date=27 July 2013|work=BBC News|access-date=27 November 2017|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122050928/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23474410|archive-date=22 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23477992|title=Libya's Muslim Brotherhood attacked|date=27 July 2013|work=BBC News|access-date=27 November 2017|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121210756/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23477992|archive-date=21 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Mismari was one of the original activists who helped drive a movement to overthrow Gaddafi and was highly critical of the Muslim Brotherhood’s affiliate party in Libya thereafter.<ref name=":2" />

''[[Agence France-Presse]]'' interviewed one of the protesters, who proclaimed, "We want all political parties to be dissolved. ... They're the cause of all our problems. First we need a constitution, then laws regulating political life before parties can begin operating [again]."<ref name=":2" />

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ab.ly Official website] (Arabic)

{{Libyan political parties|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:2012 establishments in Libya]]
[[Category:Islamic democratic political parties]]
[[Category:Islamic political parties in Libya]]
[[Category:Muslim Brotherhood]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2012]]
[[Category:Political parties in Libya]]

Justice and Construction Party - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 07:56, 14 August 2023