Under Gaddafi, Libya was governed by a military regime professing the idea of Arab nationalism, socialism, and Islam. The highest state authority was the General People's Congress (GPC), consisting of representatives of People's Committees. In practice, the GPC had the functions of a parliament. Its members were elected at local and regional levels, although part of them were assigned by Gaddafi personally. Gaddafi also appointed his ministers from among the members of the GPC. While Gaddafi himself did not hold any official posts, he remained the leading political figure in Libya.