Continued debates over composition of Morocco's new government

07/10/2007

Moroccan parties involved in the formation of the country's new government continue to discuss proposed structuring and the allocation of ministerial portfolios.

By Naoufel Cherkaoui for Magharebia in Rabat – 05/10/07

[Getty Images] El Fassi is making his decisions in consultation with King Mohammed VI.

Differences between Morocco's new prime minister, Abbas El Fassi, and the majority parties have delayed the new government's formation. Although local media spoke of "difficulties" and "crisis" in reaching consensus, party leaders have played down the difficulty of the negotiations.

Speaking with Magharebia, Abdelhamid El Khalili, member of the executive office of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), denied the existence of a "crisis".

"We only have some remarks about the merger of some ministries and the transformation of some other ministries into state secretariats," he said. "This is in addition to some other remarks about the specializations of some ministries."

According to the structure El Fassi announced on September 30th, the new government will consist of 25 to 29 ministers, in comparison to the outgoing 34-member cabinet. Istiqlal will receive six ministerial posts, the RNI, Popular Movement (MP) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) will receive four each, while the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) will have two.

El Khalili called for the application of a "democratic methodology" in assigning ministries. He said that although the party that took first place in the elections should hold the prime minister position and some other important ministries, the party that came in second should choose ministries that match the ranking it has won.

PPS Secretary-General Ismail Alaoui also said there were no difficulties, only "remarks about the structure". In an interview with Magharebia, he said "we consider the transformation of the Ministry of Health into a state secretariat to be a gross mistake. However, I consider that there is justice in the distribution of the ministry portfolios."

Mohamed Darif, a Moroccan political science professor at the Faculty of Law in Casablanca, said that majority parties know the king has the "first and final word" in devising the structure of the new government.

"Perhaps the only matter that constitutes differences is the identity of the ministers proposed by each party," he said. "I consider that to be a very minor thing, as the prime minister-designate proposes the list of ministers' names to the King and the latter has the right to either accept or reject these names." Darif added that while party leaders certainly prefer some names over others, the Royal Palace has its own considerations concerning the individuals who are suitable to hold ministerial portfolios.

With the new Parliament scheduled to begin work on October 12th, "The Prime Minister is not constitutionally bound to form the government before the parliament's opening session," Darif said, noting that former Prime Minister Abderrahman al-Youssoufi's consultations lasted nearly 40 days.

According to independent al-Ahdath al-Maghribya, the Royal Palace notified Abbas El Fassi that "no change is to be introduced into the structure that has been endorsed by his Majesty the King and that no increase is to take place in ministry portfolios." El Fassi promised majority leaders last week that he would discuss the matter with the Palace.