In late March the Transitional National Council published its charter, outlining its "vision for rebuilding the democratic state of Libya". The charter declared that, having learned from living under a dictatorship, there is "no alternative to building a free and democratic society". It promised the "peaceful transfer of power through legal institutions and ballot boxes" and stated that a new constitution would be put to the people in a referendum. As of early April the council had received diplomatic recognition from France, Qatar and Italy. Kuwait announced it would also back the opposition leadership.