Moroccan party joins opposition ahead of communal elections
2009-06-11
On the eve of communal elections in Morocco, a shift by a major political party to the opposition camp is being viewed as a blow to the ruling bloc.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 11/06/09
 [Getty Images] Moroccan Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi denied that the PAM party withdrawal would pose a problem for the ruling coalition. |
Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) made waves on Friday (May 29th) when it announced its withdrawal from the governing coalition over difficulties ratifying its candidates for the June 12th communal elections. PAM said it would "henceforth position itself with the opposition".
With the new opposition party previously holding 89 of 325 seats in parliament, the ruling coalition has been forced to respond to questions about the defection's impact.
Despite the blow to the ruling bloc, however, Communications Minister Khalid Naciri said in a press briefing on June 4th that the government is in no danger, since there is a balance between the government coalition and opposition parties. He did say things could change if there were a "mass defection".
"In any case, our plan is to tackle this issue after the communal elections," he concluded.
Prime Minister El Fassi criticised PAM at an election meeting in Casablanca on June 1st, widening the rift between the two formerly allied parties.
He said the party's actions were incomprehensible, since the state had already addressed their concerns over the law regulating party defection and membership.
PAM's withdrawal from the majority coalition poses two problems: the change of allegiance following the elections, since the party was linked to the National Rally of Independents within Parliament, and the difficulty of building a new majority.
Mohamed Kanzidi, a lecturer in politics, told Magharebia that the party's surprising initiative marked the start of an electoral campaign targeting young voters who do not trust the government.
The withdrawal will not have a real impact on the executive, he said, since PAM has only one cabinet minister, Ahmed Akhchichine. The PAM minister is responsible for national education, higher education, vocational training and scientific research.
"This decision will not weaken the government's majority, because a no-confidence motion would be needed to bring the government down," Kanzidi said. "Remember that Abderrahmane El Youssoufi's government lasted two years in Parliament without a majority."
However, Kanzidi added that El Fassi should look for other allies from among the opposition parties in the Chamber of Representatives if he wants to see legislation passed easily.
Nevertheless, PAM representatives claim that the move to the opposition was not intended to cause difficulties for the government.
PAM Secretary-General Mohamed Cheikh Biadilah told Magharebia that the course of action was taken prior to the communal elections so that the decision would not appear to be linked to the election results.
Hakim Ben Chemmass, Vice Secretary-General, said his party is merely responding to a hostile political climate. "Since our party was created, all the other parties have been attacking us. We have felt a certain tension. Our move to the opposition is a good indication of the dynamic, which has recently been created on the national political scene. We have been accused of being a Makhzen party, created for unknown ends, and yet our members are recognised for their competence."
Many have criticised the Authenticity and Modernity Party's behaviour, pointing to inconsistencies in its declarations. The party's efforts to recruit members from within Parliament rather than through election run contrary to a stated objection to the policy of mass defections.
PAM replies that it has simply welcomed anyone who seeks change and democracy.
The Authenticity and Modernity Party has welcomed the greatest number of MPs from other parties. It currently has 89 representatives sitting in the two chambers – with 46 in the Chamber of Representatives – despite being founded after the most recent legislative elections. With this party on board, the ruling coalition in parliament had 183 MPs in the first chamber.
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socalledzmiyil aka scapegoat Posted 2009-06-11
The Moroccans know quite well what is going on. Thank you for the insults, but neither Nietzsche, nor Machiavelli is my cup of tea.
SIMO Posted 2009-06-12
They ought to also be named "The King's Party" if this news is confirmed. The Moroccan political scene will have quite a special game, wherein the referee, the King, that is, will also be a player!!! Can you imagine how ridiculous this is - a player and a referee at the same time!? And they say he wants only good for this country, cutting relations with the chaotic past of sinister memories!? Poor Morocco!
LAMIRI Mustapha Posted 2009-06-12
All we can say is that the new party has indeed taken off well! Go meet at Hotel Harti. Stay strong and have lots of success. Moreover, I will address the other parties: Suppose that party "X" wins the elections in one community and party "Y" in another. What will happen then!? What is interesting is the way they work: first, the council members need to do an internship or, more precisely, get an education in management; second, the council members in a well-determined community need to treat all the citizens equally, and not just the party members who won in the community, as the latter benefits corruption and fraud; third, the communities need to publish a report of expenditures and so on, and disciplinary measure need to be put into effect for those who go off track.
BEN Posted 2009-06-12
Yes, but there remain unanswered questions. Does PAM work for the nation or for its own party? Why didn't the Prime Minister tender his resignation after the PAM ministers defected? It is necessary that a certain amount of effort to explain this is made so that the citizens can be aware of exactly where the political stakes lay in Morocco? Is there something to lose his "Chelha" for?
LAMIRI Mustapha Posted 2009-06-12
To Mr Simo- I consider what you say about our king, Allah Yinasrou, to be verbal diarrhoea. Try to be polite and reasonable. The problem in Morocco is simple: the citizens need to reconcile with one another. When they wake up in the morning, they see their faces in the mirror, saying Moroccan women are my mother, my sister and my daughter and Moroccan men are my father, my brother and my son. The time for choosing evil is finished; the time for calling for the flood is finished; the time for serving those of your party and your union and not other people is over with; and so on and so on! Moreover, there is a forth, more interesting, point that I have not mentioned yet: the working arrangements the counsellors have made in the field in order to fulfil their promises. These counsellors need to visit the citizens in their own communities in order to analyse their suffering, and they need to do this at least once per quarter.
must Posted 2009-06-13
All the political parties have, more or less, a close relationship with the palace. If PAM is a bit closer to His Majesty, then what is the problem? Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!
IBALINE EL HACHMI Posted 2009-07-29
Joining the opposition requires that the party that wants to play the role of interlocutor for and educator of the citizens in modest locations and providing a press that is readable both for the elite and for the voters. Being in the opposition without have a position does not mean much to the people that are made to be politically divorced from the time they try to embrace the ballots. They are left for a later date and to be used for other people's different ends, like those who are in the parliament, who, just like in a private club, hold discussions, agreeing over some things and diverging over others. However, one thing is always the same: they are the elite, whose way of life differs greatly from the rest of the electoral body. Most certainly, we would like to see an opposition party, but in 2010, when it will know how to criticise and unmask this democracy, which is always late in the making. We want an opposition that is not going to be limited to the past and chance whenever its members become satisfied with looking into the people's "well-being" while existing in a body that only cares about fattening up the "bouchkaras" among them. Meanwhile, the lower rungs will fight to the end for a constitution for a government with alternation of power and to rise up the former militants or "rag" militants, while being tethered to the spoiled children who escort them to their offices. It is as if there are no longer any winnings for the militants who have sacrificed their all for the parties and no for their own personal business with profit-oriented goals and with arrogant personalities! So, there you have it: this is what has deprived the former opposition parties of the trust of the citizens while leashing them to the transhumans who have blocked their path with the ingratitude they earned when they were passed up by their own, the "rag" militants and the believing voters.
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