Libya's first political party looks at PM Erdogan as a model

TRIPOLI (A.A) - December 28, 2011 - The first Libyan political party, established after 42 years of Gadhafi rule, looks at Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development (AK) Party as a model. The Libyan National Transitional Government continues efforts for democratization after Gadhafi was killed. The first Libyan political party was established by lawyer Abdullah Benun whose grandmother was a Turk. Benun's "Libya Motherland Party" held its first meeting after submitting an application to the Libyan Interior Ministry for the party's foundation. The "Libya Motherland Party" has many female members and includes individuals from all segments of Libyan life. The party promises equality, freedom, justice and prosperity and its logo includes scales of justice, wheatear and broken chains. Benun, an expert on Ottoman and Turkish history, looks at Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and his AK Party as a model. Speaking to the AA, Benun said that he wanted to visit Turkey prior to the Libyan elections to take place in six months. Our party will be loyal to Islamic rules. However, we are open to all political views. We plan to bring Libyan people together within a structure based on justice, development and freedom, Benun said. We want to make Libya more prosperous. We want to make use of Turkey's experiences. Libyan people and the Turkish people are inseparable. We are more close to the Turkish people than the Arabs. We want to win the hearts of the Libyan people and form the new Libyan government. I look at the AK Party and Erdogan as a model, Benun also said.