Benkirane to lead Morocco's Justice and Development Party

2008-07-25

In a surprise move to many, Abdelillah Benkirane was elected Secretary-General of Morocco's PJD last weekend. Viewed by many as a moderate voice within the Islamist movement, some wonder about the reasons for his appointment.

Naoufel Cherkaoui in Rabat contributed to this report – 25/07/08

[Getty Images] The PJD elected Abdelillah Benkirane as its new Secretary-General last weekend. Many have described him as both moderate and sympathetic to the king.

Morocco's Justice and Development Party (PJD) elected Abdelillah Benkirane to lead the Islamist opposition party on Sunday (July 20th), during the party's sixth national congress. Incumbent leader Saad Eddine El Othmani was widely expected to win, but he only received 495 votes to Benkirane's 684.

After the results were announced, Benkirane said he would lead the party with a "team spirit" and encourage participation from young people and women.

He added that the decision "opened the door for political participation by a group within the Islamist movement that believes in moderation, political action and democracy under the leadership of believers."

Speaking on the agenda for his four-year term, Benkirane emphasized the path of moderation, cultivating positive and peaceful relations with the government, and encouraging greater participation by women in politics.

Benkirane said he has no objections to dealing with other parties, provided they have concrete and positive plans and are not "symbols of corruption". The PJD would also consider joining the government, he said, "if the interests of the country or the party so dictate."

Mohamed Darif, a specialist on Islamist movements in Morocco, was quoted online as saying: "Benkirane's election as head of the PJD is a natural extension of the democratic process adopted by the party, in which it gave a distinguished lesson in democracy to the rest of Morocco's parties."

"The history of political practice in Morocco shows that the authorities have always interfered, whether directly or indirectly, to impose certain names at the top of a number of political entities, or at least to have a say in it," Darif continued.

"Everyone without exception was certain that El Othmani would remain on the top of the Party for a second term. However, the opposite happened, and Benkirane won through the voting process by the congress members," he said, calling the result "an indication of the observance of internal democracy by leaders and members of the party alike."

Not everyone is as certain of the reasons behind Benkirane's appointment. While he has stated his support for an open party agenda that addresses broad social and political issues rather than a strictly religious agenda, Benkirane is also viewed as a defender of the king. Some feel that his politics are more palatable to the monarch, representing a moderate Islam that counters radicalism in politics and security affairs.

Talking about his moderate agenda, Benkirane told Reuters recently: "Frankly, the citizens would not back [the PJD] in the polls to impose veils on women and force men to grow beards and people to come to mosques."

In his youth, Benkirane was aligned with a number of leftist groups until he joined the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) in 1976. When the MYO advocated violence against the authorities, however, Benkirane and many of his colleagues decided to quit.

It was at this time that they formed the moderate Islamic Group Organisation, which he led in 1986. Benkirane managed to convince many of his compatriots to end their clandestine action and enter the legal political process.

Benkirane changed the name of the group to Renewal and Reform Movement and ultimately Unification and Reform Movement, which he led until his election as Secretary-General of the PJD.