Democracy, Libya | featured news

...The truth is that there is no single explanation. One answer is that last year's wave of political uprisings, the so-called Arab Spring, is responsible. After all, protests began in Egypt, which last year became the most populous Arab democracy, and spread to Libya, which became the largest by area.

Crowds of joyful Libyans, some with tears in their eyes, parted with the legacy of Muammar Gaddafi on Saturday as they voted in the first free national election in 60 years.

Libya's new rulers plan to declare their embattled nation "liberated" Sunday, a move that will trigger a timetable for elections and the writing of a constitution for the North African nation, according to reports from Tripoli.

Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has encouraged democracy movements in the Arab world but resisted giving his full support to the Libyan uprising, now says it's time for Moammar Kadafi to go.