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Morocco
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4 June 2014
33.1 million (World Bank 2013 est.)
Abdelillah Benkirane (since November
2011)
King Mohammed VI (since July 1999)
Constitutional monarchy
Early Parliamentary 25 November, 2011
Socialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP (full
member)
In November 2011 parliamentary elections were held in Morocco. The resounding victory belonged to the moderate
Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which more than doubled its number of seats since the 2007 elections
(from 46 to 107). The largest left-wing party of Morocco, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), won 39 seats
and remained the fifth largest party in the parliament.
The parliamentary elections of 2011 could be seen, despite the relatively low turnout (45%), as a new step towards
democracy. Constitutional changes were announced by the King following nationwide protests that started in
February 2011 and which called for political reforms. Protesters, however, continued organising demonstrations
because they found that the constitutional changes did not go far enough and demanded a truly democratic
constitution.
POLITICAL SITUATION
The current King, Mohamed VI came to power after the death of his father, King Hassan II, in 1999. While King
Hassan II was an autocratic ruler, King Mohamed VI appears to have a different vision for Morocco’s future. Under
his leadership, there seems to be a tendency towards more democratic and liberal values in Morocco. Mohamed VI
has stressed the need for social and economic reform and the need to tackle problems like poverty, illiteracy, and
unemployment. In relation to this, NGOs and independent human rights organisations achieved more successes due
to the increased possibilities the new regime offered.
Morocco’s political system is carefully evolving from a strongly centralised monarchy to a parliamentary system. The
King retains much of the executive power, but Parliament is democratically elected. However, according to
independent information provider CountryWatch Inc., democratic gestures and programmes do not mean that any
real democratisation is taking place, and King Mohamed VI has, next to economic and social reforms, also
reinforced his powerbase by strengthening the army and placing members of his inner circle at important positions
in the government. In 2001, a decentralisation process has been launched. The local governors, which are
appointed by the King, have achieved more power and that is why this is considered by critics to be a well-groomed
way of the King to expand his power.
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20 February Movement
The Arab revolution of 2011 also hit Morocco. On 20 February thousands of Moroccans joined nationwide protests
in which they were calling for political reforms. They demanded that King Mohammed VI hands over some of his
powers to a newly elected government and makes the justice system more independent. According to Agence
Maghreb Arabe Press, about 37,000 people participated in the protests.
Inspired by the pro-democracy protests in the Arab world, a group called the February 20 Movement was formed. It
takes its name from the date of its first demonstration and has faced tough resistance from the state security
forces. The February 20 Movement is a youth-led network from various ideological backgrounds. Relying mostly on
the Internet, the group pressed King Mohammed to establish a parliamentary monarchy, enforce accountability and
grant the judiciary full independence.
On 9 March 2011, King Mohammed VI promised ‘comprehensive constitutional reform’ in Morocco and announced
the establishment of the committee to work on the constitutional revisions, with proposals to be made to him by
June. The monarch promised to hand over the power of appointing the Prime Minister to the parliament, and to
provide Morocco’s regions with greater authority, saying it would help consolidate ‘our [Morocco’s] model of
democracy and development’.
Despite of the King’s guarantees, the demonstrations continued, and on 22 May Moroccan protesters led by the
February 20 movement, took the streets in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangiers and Agadir. In a televised speech on 17 June
2011 King Mohammed VI announced a series of constitutional reforms, to be put to a national referendum on 1 July.
However, on 19 June about 10,000 protesters rallied in Casablanca against the proposed changes, which they said
did not go far enough. The 20 February Movement also rallied in other Moroccan cities, calling for a truly
democratic constitution.
Constitutional referendum of July 2011
A national referendum took place on July 1, 2011. Following its results, constitutional amendments were
introduced. The new constitution now ensures that the prime minister is selected from the party that received the
most votes in elections, rather than chosen by the king. The Prime Minister becomes the ‘President of the
Government’, and is able to appoint government officials - an authority previously held by the king. The new Prime
Minister is also able to dissolve parliament, the role previously accorded only to Mohammed VI. However, the king
remains a key power-broker in the security, military and religious fields. The king continues to chair two key
councils - the Council of Ministers and the Supreme Security Council - which make security policy. The Prime
Minister can chair these councils, but only using an agenda set by the king.
The voting system was also changed so that the number of parliamentary seats decided on a constituency basis was
increased from 295 to 305. Additional seats were reserved for election from national party lists, 60 consisting only
of female candidates and 30 for male candidates under the age of 40.
The new reforms were called as legitimate by the Interior Ministry, according to which 98% of those who took part in
the referendum on 1 July voted "yes." (turnout was estimated at 73%). However, the opposition said the turnout
figure looked inflated and alleged irregularities in voting procedures. The result also followed a state media
campaign in favour of the "yes" vote that appealed to a widespread sense of loyalty to the king, who is head of the
Arab world’s longest-serving dynasty. Furthermore, protesters in Morocco do not think the changes went far
enough. The February 20 democracy movement took to the streets on 3 July rejecting the amended constitution.
ELECTIONS
Government
On 3 January 2012 King Mohamed VI appointed the new members of the government led by the PJD, and headed by
Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane. A coalition was formed between the PJD, Istiqlal, PM and PPS. On 10 October 2013, there was a government reshuffle. The new government, which keeps the leader of the PJD
Abdelilah Benkirane as Prime Minister, ended months of negotiating after the conservative Istiglal party pulled out
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of the government. Istiqlal left the coalition in July in a dispute over cuts and other issues. The center-right
National Rally of Independents (RNI), which is close to the King, will replace ministers from the conservative Istiqlal
party. Morocco's King named 19 new ministers after the prime minister reached a deal to form a new coalition that
weakened the ruling Islamists who are trying to push through unpopular reforms to subsidies and the pensions
system. The king increased the number of ministers to 39 from 30 and put the RNI in key ministries such as
interior, finance and foreign affairs.
Gender issues
The constitutional amendments of July 2011 increased women quota from 30 out of 325 to 60 out of the 395
seats. It means that every party can present one list, consisting of maximum of 60 women candidates.
Furthermore, the new changes include the article, according to which women in addition to equal civil and political
rights of women, should have equal economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. However, the women
quota is still below the 30% quota claimed by women’s movements. At the end of the candidate registration period,
women headed less than three percent of local electoral lists. On a local level, the representation of women is very
poor. Only 0,5% of the local councillors is women and there is only one female mayor in whole Morocco.
Parliamentary elections 2011
Following the pro-democracy demonstrations that swept through the country since the beginning of 2011, on 25
November 2011 early elections for the national Assembly of Representatives took place. Big winner of the elections
was the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which more than doubled its number of seats to 107
out of the 395 that make up the Lower House. The PJD said it would promote Islamic finance, but would avoid
focusing on issues such as alcohol and headscarves for women. These were the first elections since King
Mohammed VI introduced constitutional changes intended to dampen Arab Spring protests in the country.
Observers noted that although turnout increased compared to the last elections in 2007 (from 37% to 45%), voter
enthusiasm was low.
Results of the elections
Political Party
Seats won
+/Justice and Development Party 107
+61
PJD
Independence Party - Istiqlal
60
+8
National Rally of Independents 52
+11
NRI
Authenticity and Modernity Party - 47
PAM
Socialist Union of Popular Forces - 39
+1
USFP
Popular Movement - PM
32
-9
Constitutional Union
23
-4
Party of Progress and Socialism - 18
+1
PPS
Labour Party
4
-1
Other
13
Total (turnout 37%)
395
The largest left-wing party of Morocco, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), won 39 seats and remained the
fifth largest party in the parliament. The Unified Socialist Party (PSU) decided to boycott the elections claiming that
the changes in the constitution did not give enough power to the parliament and the prime minister.
Elections monitoring
Turnout for the elections was 45%, up from the historic low of 37% in 2007. The U.S. National Democratic Institute
(NDI) that monitored the elections noted that although the elections were fair and transparent, many ballots (around
20%) were spoiled with protest slogans, raising doubts about voter enthusiasm. Anti-elections protests commenced
on the day of campaigning, November 12, and the activists were calling on people to boycott the elections saying
that the parliament holds no real power in Morocco, even after the constitutional changes of July 2011 and that the
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King retains control over religious issues and defence and security affairs. NDI-delegation co-leader Bob Rae
remarked that ‘From a technical point of view, it was a fair election, but democracy is about substance as much as
form.’
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTIES
Socialist Union of People’s Forces (Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires - USFP)
Leader: Driss Lachgar
The USFP is the successor of the “Union Nationale des Forces Populaires” (UNFP) which was created in January 1959,
following internal division in the Istiqlal Party. In 1975 the name changed to USFP. The USFP, which had led the 1997
government, lost 7 seats in the 2002 elections, and another 12 seats in the 2007 elections. The party holds
nowadays 42 seats in parliament and is the fifth party in parliament. Despite the big loss of seats, USFP kept its
place in the coalition government. The party formed a government with Istiqlal, PPS and the National Rally of
Independents.
After its creation, the USFP held its next congress in 1962. In the first legislative elections of the country, in 1963,
the new party was a success and the leaders of the UNFP (among which Mehdi Ben Barka, who disappeared
mysteriously in 1963 in Paris) were voted into parliament. Under the reign of King Hassan (1961-1999), the USFP
was frequently harassed by the regime. In 1963 and 1981, Party leaders were kidnapped and the Party press
(newspapers "Al Moharrir” and "Libération") was forced to close down. In 1993 the democratic bloc “la Koutla
Démocratique” was created by the USFP together with Istiqlal, PPS and OADP. In 1997 they formed the government
together with their allies from the Koutla, which have been opposition in the past. In the run-off of the 2007
elections, the USFP incorporated the Parti Socialiste Democratique (PSD) and won 38 seats in parliament, which they
have currently increased with four seats.
Highlights of the USFP program are to integrate young unemployed people into the labour force, to maintain and
stimulate the development of the Moroccan arts and handicrafts and their cultural values, and the adoption of local
projects in order to promote investment and employment.
The USFP is member of the Socialist International.
Website (French): http://www.usfp.ma/index.php
Parti Travailliste (Labour Party)
Leader: Abdelkrim Benatiq (labour unionist)
At the end of 2005, Abdelkrim Benatiq, Omar Seghrouchni and Mohamed el-Ouchari took the initiative to create the
Labour Party (Parti Travailliste). The party was founded on 14 and 15 May 2006 at the party’s first party conference.
The party’s ideology is not clear yet. Initially, the party placed itself on the left of the political spectrum. Later,
however, the party changed to a more centre-left party. The party itself states that it is a party for workers and
middle-class people. The lack of a clear profile is also caused by the fact that the party so far hasn’t been part of
any alliance with other political parties. In an interview before the 2007 parliamentary elections, party leader Benatiq
stated that the most important task of political parties for the coming years in Morocco is to restore the credibility
of the parliament. In the parliamentary elections of 2011, the Parti Travailliste won 4 seats in the Moroccan
parliament.
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Democratic and Social Movement (Mouvement Démocratique et Social)
Leader: M. Mahmoud Archane
Created 15 June 1996 from splinters from the MNP. The party has 2 seats in parliament.
United Party of Socialists (Parti Socialiste Unifié)
Leader: Nabila Mounib
The PSU was created in 2005 through the merger of the Parti de la Gauche Socialiste Unifiée (PGSU) and the “Fidélité
à la Démocratie” association. The PGSU itself had been the result of an earlier merger of four leftist parties in 2002,
namely the Organisation de l’Action Démocratique et Populaire (Organisation of Democratic and Popular Action), the
Mouvement des Démocrates Indépendants (Movement of Independent Democrats), the Movement pour la
Démocratie (Movement for Democracy) and the Personnalités Indépendantes de Gauche (Independent Persons of the
Left).
The PSU is a socialist party which strives for “a dignified life and equitable distribution”. According to the PSU, their
program is founded on the principles of modernity, rationalism, and citizenship. The party wishes to change the
constitution so as to curb the powers of the king and turn Morocco into a constitutional monarchy. PSU furthermore
wishes to increase the Moroccan’s sense of citizenship through education, training and cooperation with NGOs and
grassroots movements. Important issues for the party are equal access to quality education and healthcare; the
creation of employment; development of rural areas and environmental protection; the fight against corruption; the
modernisation of the administration; and greater independence of the judiciary. PSU furthermore actively supports
gender equality and equal opportunities for minorities and disabled. Within the party, a women network and a youth
organisation are active.
The PSU boycotted the parliamentary elections of 2011.
Group of Democratic Progress
Leader: Rachid Roukbane
The Group of Democratic Progress represents the Party of Socialism and Progress. This former Communist party was
founded in 1974. The party is increasing its popularity: in 2002 it won 11 seats, in 2007 17 and currently the party
has 21 seats in parliament.
OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES
Party of Justice and Development (Parti de la Justice et du Développement)
Leader: Abdelillah Benkirane
The Party of Justice and Development was created as the “Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement” (MPDC)
from splinters of the Popular Movement (MP) in January 1967 (the Party changed its name to PJD in October 1998).
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The Party is moderate Islamist and a growing force in the country. The Islamist PJD carefully paves the way for a
more religious orientated Morocco by creating the image of being the true defender of the Muslim state. The PJD
presents itself as the only party which can bring problems such as corruption, poverty and the loosening of
traditional values by the parties in power to an end.
Before 2003 the electoral program of the PJD had five key points: authenticity, sovereignty, democracy, equality and
development – everything in accordance with Islam. After the 2003 Casablanca-bombings, the party changed its
political profile by becoming more pragmatic and less critical about the Western influences in Morocco. This
pragmatic profile seemed to pay-off in the run-off to the parliamentary elections of 2007. The opinion-polls
showed a great victory for the PJD, with the possibility of winning up to 80 seats. However, the outcomes of the
elections were a big disappointment for the PJD. The party won only 46 seats in 2007, but it rehabilitated itself by
winning the majority of the seats in the 2011 elections (106).
Website (Arabic, French in progress): http://www.pjd.ma/arabe/index.asp
Group istiqlali of unity and egalitarianism - Istiqlal Party/Parti d’Indépendance
Leader: Nourdin Moudian
The Istiqlal/Independence Party (Istiqlal/Parti d’Indépendence) was founded in 1944, as an umbrella group of
Moroccans fighting for independence from France. In 1993, the party became one of the parties of the democratic
bloc “Koutla” and was part of the new government of 1997. Ever since, Istiqlal is part of the government. Today,
Istiqlal is the nationalist party of Morocco and the party in power, functioning in line with the Moroccan Monarchy.
Key points of the Istiqlal Party are: the connection with Islam and the constitutional monarchy and the throne, the
safeguarding of Morocco’s cultural identity, the realisation of economical and social equality, the development of
the economy and the reduction of economic and social differences between the regions. Istiqlal also wants to offer
more attention to the position of Moroccans living abroad.
In the 2007 parliamentary elections, the Istiqlal-party became the biggest party in parliament with a total of 52
seats. In 2011 elections the party lost to the PJD, but won nine seats more (61 seats in total), thus becoming the
second largest party in the parliament.
Website (French): http://www.Istiqlal.ma/sommaire.php3
National Rally of Independents (Rassemblement National des Indépendents, RNI)
Leader: Ouadia Benabdellah
Since it was created in 1978 by the ‘SAP’ (Sans Appartenance Politique) deputies of the 1977 elections, the RNI
strives for the realisation of its goals: the promotion of social democracy within the constitutional monarchy, the
preservation of the Arab-African Moroccan identity and the defence of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom. In the
context of this program, the RNI calls for the realisation of a social project, aimed at the creation of a solid and
competitive economy, which guarantees labour places, the development of the country, and reform of the legal
system as well as the tax system - which in turn must encourage private investment. The RNI has 54 seats in the
Moroccan parliament forming the third largest party.
Authenticity and Modernity Party (Parti Authenticité et Modernité, PAM)
Leader: Milouda Hazeb
The Authenticity and Modernity Party was founded in 2008 with the initial aim to strengthen the power of the king
in Morocco. It is a centre-right party, composed now of the Environment and Development Party, PND-Al Ahd
Union, the Alliance of Liberties and the Citizenship and Development Initiative that merged with the PAM in 2010.
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The new union won 47 seats+ 1 related in the 2011 parliamentary elections.
Popular Movement (Harakat parti)
Leader: Nabil Belgayat Benamar
The group movement is also known as the Harakat parti and represents the Berber community in Maroc. The party
has 33 seats in parliament.
Website : http://www.alharaka.ma/
Group of Constitutional Union (Union Constitutionelle)
Leader: Belassal Chaoui
Member of the Liberal International since 2003. The UC was created in 1983; and has been part of governments in
the past several times. The party is considered to be close to the palace or at least to the administration. Mohamed
Abied is Party leader since 2001. In the 2011 elections, the party decreased its share of seats: from 27 in 2007 to
23 in 2011.
BIOGRAPHIES
King Mohammed VI
Mohammad al-Hasssan was born on 21 August 1963, son of at that time King Hassan II and Lalla Latifa Hammou.
Mohammed VI is Morocco’s third king since the country gained independence from France in 1956.
Mohammed VI went to law school in Rabat and earned a master’s degree in Political Science in 1987 and a doctorate
in law from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France. In 2002 he was awarded a honorary doctorate from the
George Washington University. He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father. Shortly after
he became king, he announced some reforms and promised to take on poverty and corruption. However, Morocco
remained an authoritarian monarchy and in February 2011 protests against the power of Mohammed VI broke out.
The King of Morocco holds vast executive powers, including dissolving parliament at will. In a speech on 17 June
King Mohammed VI proposed constitutional changes, but about 10,000 protesters rallied in Casablanca against his
proposals, which they said did not go far enough. In July 2011 the changes to the electoral legislation and to the
rendering of some of the king’s power to the prime minister were introduced.
King Mohammed is married with Salma Bennani. They have a son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, born in 2003, and a
daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, born in 2007.
Abdelillah Benkirane
Prime Minister
Abdelillah Benkirane was appointed as Prime Minister on 29 November 2011, after early parliamentary elections. In
early December 2011 an poll was published in which more than 82 percent of Moroccans have expressed
confidence in newly appointed Islamist Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane’s ability to run government. 43 percent
of those polled said they were “fully confident” and a further 39 percent said they were “reasonably confident.” The
opinion poll was carried out from Dec. 2 to 5 on a sample of 1,000 people. Mr Abdelillah Benkirane has been a
leader of the parliamentary election winner Justice and Development Party (PJD) since July 2008. Benkirane's politics
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are democratic and Islamist. He is married to a party activist and has six children.
Driss Lachgar
Leader Socialist Union of People’s Forces (Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires - USFP)
Driss Lachgar, born 1954 in Rabat, is the party leader of the USFP. Between 2010 and 2012 he held the position of
Minister of Relations with the Parliament. Before Lachgar entered parliament he was a lawyer. Lachgar was elected
by an overwhelming majority and received 198 votes more than his opponent. After he was elected he reached out
to all the party members, including his rivals, urging them to join efforts to breathe new life into the USFP. “The
USFP needs all its components and all its skills,” he told the media, assuring that the party will not be run by one
single person but that the management will be collegial.
Abdelkrim Benatiq Leader Parti Travailliste
Abdelkrim Benatiq is de party leader of the labour party. In 2000 he was appointed State Secretary of the Minister of
Social Economy. In 2001 he changed to Secretary of State for Trade. In 2005 he resigned from the USPF party in
order to start his own party. He did this in the same year under the name labour party.
Mahmoud Archane
Leader Democratic and Social Movement (Mouvement Démocratique et Social)
Mahmoud Archane is a former police officer, who retired in 1984. In 1996 he founded the Social Democratic
Movement (MDS) , a political party emerged from a split of the People's National Movement (MNP).
Nabila Mounib
Leader United Party of Socialists (Parti Socialiste Unifié)
Nabila Mounib was born in 1960 in Casablanca. She is a university professor and the first female leader of the PSU.
She is in power since 2012. Mounib works at the University of Hassan II in Casablanca and is Regional Secretary of
the National Union of higher education.
Hamid Chabat
Leader Group istiqlali of unity and egalitarianism - Istiqlal Party/Parti d’Indépendance
Hamid Chabat was born in 1953. He started his career at a motorcycle assembly in Fes and became known for his
active participation in this region. Eventually he became the leader of the General Union of Workers of Morocco. In
2002 he became a member of the Fes region in the House of Representatives and was elected mayor of this city one
year later. He also owns a regional newspaper concerning the Fes region. In 2012 he was elected party leader.
Ouadia Benabdellah
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Leader National Rally of Independents (Rassemblement National des Indépendents, RNI)
Ouadia Benabdellah is an architect and party leader of the RNI. Within his political career he pays extra attention to
the promotion of women’s representation and the fight against illegal means during elections.
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