Morocco cabinet mystery continues

Morocco’s new ruling coalition awaits the approval of its nominees for the cabinet.

By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat

Facebook users mobilised in support of Mustapha Ramid as justice minister.

The composition of Morocco’s new government is still uncertain, more than a week after names were submitted to King Mohammed VI.

Sources within the Justice and Development Party (PJD) say the king is undecided about some of the names put forward by Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane on December 24th after negotiations with allied parties Istiqlal, the People’s Movement and the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS).

“Reservations have been expressed,” said PJD National Council chairman Saadeddine Othmani, whose name was submitted for the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. “This could even lead to a reallocation of ministerial portfolios.”

One controversial nomination was that of Mustapha Ramid for the sensitive post of justice minister, said a senior PJD official who requested anonymity. “His very strong personality and his defence of Salafists might be among the reasons for this reluctance,” he told Magharebia.

PJD activists are counting on Ramid, he said, and the new democratic process that gives the prime minister complete freedom to choose the members of his team.

Supporters have created a Facebook page called “All for Mustapha Ramid as Minister of Justice or Nothing”. Ramid’s appointment was confirmed Monday (January 2nd) after intense negotiation.

Political analysts raised several possibilities for the delay in confirming the appointment.

According to Hicham Machini, Ramid has a tense past with senior officials. “[Fouad Ali] El Himma, recently appointed advisor to the king, has repeatedly levelled criticism at Ramid ever since he became a government official,” he told Magharebia. “Ramid has been questioned for his reconciliation with Hezbollah despite always denying that he has any connection with it. The Palace even spoke out against his appointment as head of the PJD parliamentary group.”

Machini said that Morocco had entered a new era and that the rules should be changed to implement the promised democracy. However, he said, certain candidates may have been named by the PJD’s allies in order to garner voter support, rather than for their professional abilities.

“A change in the ministerial candidates from Istiqlal and the People’s Movement will come as a relief to party activists who are complaining about a lack of internal democracy,” he said, “by contrast with the PJD, which regards its grassroots members as important.”

Members of the public are impatient for the matter to be settled. While some feel that the king is entitled to express reservations, others reject the idea of royal intervention in the formation of the government.

Hamid Taki, a teacher, is in the former camp. He told Magharebia that if the political parties were not democratic enough to put forward competent candidates, then the king should step in.

Salima Cheddadi, a student, disagrees. She said that the Constitution should be honoured and that people must trust Abdelilah Benkirane in his choice of ministers since in the end, after a few years, his party will stand for re-election and will be judged by the public.

“This is what is known as the democratic process,” she said. “If they really want to send a strong signal to Moroccans, the king should abide by the new provisions of the Constitution and give the government real room to manoeuvre.”