Mediterranean Programme - [09/26/2007]

Moroccan elections show progress in terms of transparency

The CIDOB Foundation, the Association of Political Scientists and Sociologists of Catalonia and the Electoral Observatory of the International Mediterranean Studies Workshop (TEIM) organised a seminar in Maragall Hall to analyse the results of the recent Moroccan elections, held on 7 September of this year. The seminar, which was divided into two round table discussion groups, analysed the Moroccan electoral and political system, as well as the evolution of the elections, the results and their possible implications.

Joan Vintró, from the Moroccan Institutions Observatory, stressed the negative image that Spain has of the Moroccan political system, in spite of the advances that the latter country has made in recent decades. This opinion was shared by Manuel Gómez-Acebo, deputy director general for North Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The moderator on the first table highlighted the fact that Morocco had just held its first legislative elections since 1963, and that this had led the different political actors to undergo a learning phase based on past processes. Even so, Vintró claimed that Morocco was still affected by a number of undesirable practices ─ such as vote-buying ─ which appear to be difficult to eradicate.

Antonio Baquero, a journalist from El Periódico de Catalunya and moderator of the second round table, hailed the progress that has been made with respect to transparency in the recent Moroccan elections, the results of which have been endorsed by the presence of a large number of international observers.

Meanwhile, Bernabé López García, the director of TEIM, explained that since its independence, Morocco has had a multi-party system promoted by the monarchy. This electoral system has led to the emergence of parties with very similar programmes, and which have more to do with personal interests than with any desire to defend general interest, the end result of which is an atomised parliament. In López García’s opinion, such a fragmented scenario makes it almost impossible to obtain a broad majority for government, and leads to the formation of large coalitions. This scenario makes decision-making difficult and particularly benefits existing powers.

On this subject, Mohamed El Ayadi, professor of sociology at the Hassan II University, argued that Constitutional reform, which is promoted by minority parties, seems to be a long way from becoming a reality. The large political parties, which benefit from the current situation, have no wish to back the reform, and consensus between them and other political groups is hampered by the Balkanisation of the political scenario. On the subject of the election results, El Ayadi attributed the defeat of the PJD party to the growing multiparty-ism in political Islam, which is represented by more than one party. He said it was also the result of a certain standardisation of political Islam within the Moroccan system.

Victoria Veguilla, a member of the Mediterranean Study and Research Group and Said Kirhlani, of TEIM, warned of the danger of limiting the analysis to a solely national or local level. Both suggested combining the two lines of analysis and contextualising the results, in order to draw an image that was as faithful to the reality as possible. The speakers stressed that on a local level, it should be borne in mind that a series of practices persists that have determined the national results ─ for example, the fact that many of the main parties are backed by local dignitaries, adopting a personality-based approach, and that very often these large parties resort to vote-buying, a phenomenon that has had a great influence on the overall results. On the subject of possible vote-buying in the elections, Veguilla stressed that the non-intervention of the government was not the same as its neutrality.

Laura Feliu, lecturer in international relations at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, commented that while it is still too early to predict the evolution of foreign policy within this new political cycle, these policies do not tend to change much, given that they are linked to long-term interests. Feliu added that another point to be borne in mind was the fact that in Morocco, the appointment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs is made directly by the Royal Palace.

Manuel Gómez Acebo declared that relations between Spain and Morocco were going through a good phase, and he gave a positive assessment to the reforms being carried out by Morocco, at the same time as he acknowledged that these reforms are not advancing as rapidly as Moroccan society would like. He also highlighted Spain's interest in the advancement of relations between the two countries, and claimed that the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy provides an excellent opportunity for Morocco to strengthen relations with the European Union in the form of an Advanced Statute.

All the speakers noted the significant increase in abstention, especially among voters between 18 and 24 years of age. The incidence of blank and spoiled ballot papers had also increased, a phenomenon that was interpreted as expressing the dissatisfaction with the Moroccan political system of some voters, and as a voluntary and conscious act of protest against the system by others.

An analysis was also made of the lack of women in the Moroccan parliament. The speakers highlighted the fact that the main disadvantage of the women ministers’ list is that it has not succeeded in making society aware of the need to introduce more women into the administrative organs of the parties, but rather that it is simply viewed as a quota mechanism. Furthermore, mention was made of Morocco's development problems being one of the factors hindering the process of political reform, given that the lasting transformation of the country is also going through an economic and social transformation.

>> See special report by the Electoral Observatory

>> See complete program of the activity (pdf 35kB)