2007 Daba aims to increase voting by Moroccan youth and women
2006-09-26
The new 2007 Daba association is working to encourage young people and women in Morocco to take part in the 2007 elections as part of its efforts to revaluate political involvement in Morocco and to further develop democracy in the country.
By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 26/09/06
 [File] From L to R, Belkhayat, Belkziz, Ayouch, and Bennis. |
The new 2007 Daba association has the objective of revaluating political involvement in Morocco in the run-up to the 2007 legislative elections. The association set out its plan at a September 19th press conference in Casablanca.
The 2007 legislative elections will present an opportunity to judge the health of the democratic process in the country. The Moroccan constitution was revised in 1996 to expand parliament's powers to include budgetary matters, approval of authority and establishing commissions to investigate the government, according to MAP. The last parliamentary elections, which were held in November 2002, were considered fair, free and transparent.
Noureddine Ayouch, founding president of 2007 Daba, sees an opportunity to further develop Morocco's democracy.
To achieve his vision of increased political participation, he has surrounded himself with ambitious Moroccans, the majority of whom are new to politics. His associates include Moulay Abdelhafid Elalamy, head of AGMA, Ali Ababou, CEO and member of the board of SGMB, Mohamed Abdeljalil, CEO of ODEP, Fathia Bennis, CEO of Maroc Clear, Salwa Kerakri Belkziz, president of the Moroccan Association of Women Business Leaders, Moncef Belkhayat, director of Méditel's commercial arm, and political scientist Mohamed El Ayadi.
Ayouch stressed 2007 Daba arose out of what was seen as the alarming finding that the public, particularly women and young people, were showing a marked disaffection with politics. He feels the situation threatens the development of democracy in Morocco.
Ayouch reported at the association's first meeting with the media in Casablanca on September 19th that 50% of young people have not registered to vote, only 38% took part in the last legislative elections, 68% have no confidence in politics, 95% do not identify with any mainstream political movement, and fewer than 1% of women belong to political parties.
One of the major objectives for 2007 Daba is to give women and young people a renewed interest in politics and increase the voting rate of the groups by 25%. The association also wants to give the intellectual and economic elite the desire to make a concrete contribution to the parties.
Ayouch is planning to mobilise Moroccans of all ages for mass participation in the 2007 legislative elections. As part of the effort, 2007 Daba will call on authorities to ensure complete transparency in free choice for electors and to penalise any use of money or other illicit resources for electoral purposes.
Ayouche says the time is ripe for civil society and political parties to work side-by-side to contribute to the development of a political culture in Morocco. The association, he says, "is not competing with the parties, but its objective consists basically of throwing itself resolutely into the process of building a modern, democratic society and contributing to the construction of a state that respects the rights of the individual."
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السيدة الحرة Posted 2006-09-26
What type of parties are you talking about in Morocco? are they the corporate parties that have fortified their presence nationally and locally through tribal and civilian allegiance? Then these type of creatures breathing the air of theis own narrow interest are the actual parties as widely known and thought to be contributing to the framing of society... these parties, even though for the sake of the argument we agree that they are in Mororocco rightist, leftist or centrist, are no more than procedural distribution. As the proverb goes, birds of a feather flock together...the parties are the primary murderes of the political process...it is an insult to peoples's intelligence for someone to create an association just to promote voting among the youth and actual political participation? What an outright outrage and opportunistic mentality!! the youth vote so that the swindlers take over local government councils. The founder of conservatism (Ladmonberk) clearly explained the question and descibed the voter as the unintelligent and lazy, someone who is unable to rule himself by himself...these are the corporate parties in Morocco. They look at the citizen as a voting machine only. There is more discussion needed for this subject
Monique Posted 2006-09-27
I read your site from Belgium. Here we have resolved the issue of political intertia. We have no choice, voting is compulsory. Democracy???
BABACAR Posted 2006-09-29
I am very happyto find this site on the internet. Long live the Cherifien (Moroccan) Kingdom which has always had good relations with Senagal. Meknes is very nice. Ask that to Jah or Chekouta or Bin'S.
collins Posted 2006-10-19
Bravo; do you have any logo? Slogan? Can you forward it? May I publish it in France?
محمد بن بوعلام Posted 2006-11-27
What role for the parties, already ineffective in the demoractic transition in Morocco, with the establishment of this association? Perphaps it is a the beginning of the end to practice politics without parties. Who knows maybe we will hear of an association called "the Graveyard of Political Parties"
عبد المالك بلحيمر Posted 2007-01-16
I am happy with this Association seeking to see democratic transition implemented in Morocco!
عبد المالك بلحيمر Posted 2007-01-19
I want the entire address of this association's!
انس Posted 2007-01-22
Thank you for everything.
mouloud achahbar Posted 2007-02-24
Speak clearly. If all Moroccans vote, will this new parliament bring us this long awaited good? What if Moroccans elect Islamists? People can dream of any vehement representatives....
boudraa Posted 2007-03-10
Hello we're a few students from the IGA institute in Marrakech we would like to make an event called "awareness for the 2007 elections targeted for the youth" we would like to find sponsors to make this event a success thanks
ziyad Posted 2007-04-04
I cant understand the purpose of this "daba" association. Ayouch would have done a great job thinking about educating politicians on corruption and other obstacles that hinder economic takeoff in this country. But he talks about making youngsters aware, as if this was the problem. I think this association is missing the target. If CHEFFARA politicains did a good job, there would no longer be any problem. But there would be no more voters too (im talking about people different from those who sell themsleves for posts or promises!!), honest people! There will be a sanction vote in favor of the PJD, as it is almost the only party that didnt have any access to local affairs so far(this deserves to be mentioned!! USP,PPS,RNI,MV did not understand or just fake). I would like this daba initiative be something new!!Although i prefer leftist ideology, i will not vote or ..... at the lastest, for the PJD
محمد Posted 2007-04-22
I fear for Ayouch to fail in this association after the success that he has achieved in the micro loans program. There is a difference between the two associations; and the success of the Loans Association was due to the poverty of the society.
moumna.samia Posted 2007-04-26
We thank you so much for this initiative which we have been expecting for a long time, I wish you all the success in the future, I'm quite sure that you're on a steady and right path towards success
imane Posted 2007-05-02
please im conducting a study on youths and politics in morocco and the main question to which i want an answer is why young moroccan people dont participate in politics , can u please help me by giving me your opinion or recommanding some books that would be useful for me , thank u .
ridouan Posted 2007-05-07
In my opinion the association daba 2007 has come to encourage young people namely to participate in elections and this cannot be achieved by this association or any other association after it why because young people need today jobs and not associations and this cannot be achieved in the absence of a real will to achieve this goal
محمد Posted 2007-05-16
The independence party is a discriminatory party, the residents of Zaer ask for independence from Khemisset because it leads to the weakening of the region by urging from authorities to employ the corrupt in establishing fake projects. No to the monopoly of a corrupt party in the region.
mohamed Posted 2007-07-30
Which change are you talking about? Do you believe figures issued by hotels or the reality we witness with our eyes? As for Islamists from the PJD party they won't add anything as they're people with sincere will to change the reality, and we have no doubt about that. Whatever the ideology of the winning party in the elections of 2007, this won't change anything. The change starts with removing oppression from all those who refuse that oppression, on top of which Al Adl Wa Al Ihsane Jamaa and other political organizations.
محمد Posted 2007-08-11
The particpation in the elections is a right and obligation as it's known. The role of the parliament is also known, it's to monitor the government which is controlled by the parliamentary majority. But if the government were to be controlled by a theocrat without belonging to a party, what's the use then of voting?? This is the reality. Moreover, can we trust quasi-ignorants politically that are driven merely by interests and material gains? The change will be by producing political elites that are learned even if by making them undergo psychological and technical written exams to study their readiness and level of education. As the present simple conditions aren't enough. Then you'll see all the Moroccan people participate as they're jealous over this nation. As in the present conditions, boycotting is the best solution and act.
عمار -من تمارة- Posted 2007-08-31
The era of democracy: if voting is a national duty and an attitude reflecting citizenship, as local media say, boycotting the elections is the top of true citizenship. But I don't close my eyes from seeing what is right, and I witness the lies of the parties. I haven't seen any of the rights they pretend, but just mockery and teasing. I, and all young people like me, don't see, don't hear and don't speak. (unemployed, a victim of Najat, live in slums).
احمد Posted 2007-09-09
I see that your association was set up only to collect funds, as they have not achieved anything. I've seen many of your posters on which a lot of money was spent unnecessarily. Excuse me but the association was a way of gaining wealth for some of you.
biti Posted 2007-11-11
All parties are deceitful, there's no single candidate who is ready to work seriously.
أحمد أموزك الدارالبيضاء Posted 2007-12-15
While I was looking through an electoral list of 2007, I noticed that there were many violations in the registration lists for Derb Sultan. This helped the responsible sides show favour for a candidate or party. What’s strange is that the elections are being manipulated in the area of Derb Sultan for a long meaning, this means that the manipulation virus is deeply-rooted in this area, and the officials haven’t found any efficient remedy to it. I have between my hands now the minutes of one of the central offices which shows that it was contrary to what was sent to the Ministry of the Interior. What i understood from that is that there's no need to conduct elections under such conditions. Ahmed Amouzk, area of Derb Sultan El Fida
hanane Posted 2008-03-18
it is really a good and active intiative to make moroccan youth more involved and intersted in the political life . we should make them know how thier participaion and involvement is momontuous because they should rely on themselves to be able to change and improve their poor and difficult situation;we have just to be determined and take the frist step towards democracy hardwork and prospirity.
karima Posted 2008-04-18
Hello Everybody, So, personally, I am one of the young people. I saw what sort of platforms they ran on during the elections, but I do not believe that this comes from an organisation created for this goal. In short, I am a lot more interested in this than others because I have a presentation to do on this. Fortunately for me, I came across this wonderful website with such interesting articles while doing my research. Thus, I would be very appreciative if you were to give me more information on this organisation, its leadership, policies, and strategies because all that I have read so far has it having one sole objective, posed each time in different wording. Thank you
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