Morocco : The challenges of democratic reform (Part II)

The Minister provided specific examples throughout his presentation of actions being undertaken by the new government to deal with these challenges and the changing political environment in Morocco.

4. Q & A

Q: (Jon Alterman) Given Adl al Ihsan’s opposition to the monarchy, what is the future for Islamic politics in Morocco—greater diversity or cooperation?

A: Both are happening at the same time. The key challenge for all Islamist parties is to link Islam and democracy. Islamists have to decide whether or not to be part of the political party system.  

Q: (Karim Mezran, the Atlantic Council) How will decentralization lead to solving the Western Sahara crisis? 

A: The constitution provides for regionalization is all matters: budget, administration, social and cultural policies. Regionalization provides a means for the transition from the current situation to autonomy. 

Q: Three questions on women’s rights 

A: The basic protection and rights of women are already enshrined in the moudawa. The constitution calls for full equality and that is part of our national agenda, adopted by parliament. A national watchdog has been proposed to protect women’s rights by monitoring what is going on and if targets are being achieved. Gave details of what steps are being taken.

Q: (Haim Malka, CSIS) How to manage expectations?  

A: People want concrete results. Transparency is the key. In conflict areas, government is encouraging open dialog with all stakeholders. Expect that passing of budget by mid-April will enable government to accelerate efforts to reduce poverty, expand healthcare coverage, and promote other economic and social development projects. 

5. Observation

40 representatives from various NGOs, including Eric Goldstein from HRW, and think tanks participated in the program. The Minister spoke eloquently, thoughtfully, and credibly about the challenges facing the government as it works to implement the new constitution. He gave multiple examples of what the government has proposed, which strengthened his case. He was strongly behind the autonomy solution for the Western Sahara and the role of the King in providing indispensible leadership and continuity. He directly answered the questions on the future of Islamists and democracy and the prospects for women and minorities and provided many examples of what can be done to implement the various sections of the constitution. He is definitely a formidable resource. It is imperative that we track what is going on in parliament in the coming months to have credible talking points on Morocco’s reform agenda.