There are three formulas for solving the problems of regional identity and a devolved government: a highly centralised system, a reformed centralised system similar to the shabiyas under Gaddafi which were set up but were never given any authority and the federal system.
There are also three options as to the role of Islam in legislation: the source of legislation, the main source of legislation, one of the main sources of legislation. A pragmatic solution will probably be found and those who do not want to squeeze Libya into an Islamist mould will not be disappointed.
Transitional justice and law making, vital to the success of the new Libya, is lagging. It is not clear whether there will be a system based on owning up for what went wrong and reconciliation between the party inflicting the wrong and the wronged party or whether it will be a strictly legal system of holding people to account for crimes.
There is a very high level of dissatisfaction about how little has been achieved under the National Transitional Council but the people are willing to give the new arrangements time to show results. But the new government will have to deliver on public services.
With regard to prosperity the country faces the same issues as under the previous regime: structural unemployment of 25 percent, high inflation and the issue of foreign labour. Even though people want jobs they don't want to do the hard jobs on construction sites and in agriculture. There will be a migratory management labour issue in future as Egyptians, Tunisians, Vietnamese and Africans are jockeying for different jobs.
Diversification issues remain from the previous era. Libya is a very small market with 6 to 7 million indigenous Libyans. It is therefore difficult to establish industries that can be competitive, building on import substitution and then progressing to export.
So all eyes will be on the oil and gas sector. Many oil companies are in waiting mode to see how structures, personalities and policies bed down. The nature of foreign partnerships is still undecided.
In the public sector a process of internal review and restructuring is going on. The public sector entities are functioning, staff are being paid, planning is going on but major decisions and major new contracts are not really happening yet.
