Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi’s proposal follows years of public efforts on his part to call for a transition to a constitutional democracy. He has said that his father was a historically unique figure and that Libya’s next leader should be elected to serve for a limited time under a legal system spelled out in a constitution.

To many Libyans who do not support the armed revolt, Seif al-Islam represents a hope for more gradual change. In a recent interview with the pan-Arab news channel Al-Arabiya, another Qaddafi son, Saadi, suggested that before the revolt Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi was “the person who used to run the show every day in Libya.”…

During the revolt, though, Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi’s position has been indistinguishable from his father, vowing swift retribution against the rebels and potentially tarnishing his credibility as a voice of reform. He has argued that the early and healthy peaceful movement for political opening was quickly co-opted by foreign terrorists determined to bring down the Libyan government.