Morocco Politicians Called To Curb Fundamentalism

By Siham Ali in Rabat
for Magharebia

Moroccans criticise political parties for only appearing during elections, ignoring youth’s vote and failing to tackle major issues.

Ahead of Morocco’s local elections in June, many voters are roundly criticising political parties for not reaching out to young people.

Only 7% of Moroccan voters aged 18-25 participated in the 2011 legislative elections. The task to get voters to the polls this time around will be difficult, according to observers, especially since the Court of Auditors recently skewered the top political parties in the kingdom for their financial management.

The results of the auditors’ inquiry were surprising.

In its report issued in mid-December, the body released details on just how much money the state has provided to political parties. Six of them still owe the state some 5.7 million dirhams for expenses incurred during the last two elections. Indeed, 86% of political parties’ total income comes from the state.

The next election is just months away, so the clock is ticking for partisan groups to rally voters.

Many citizens, however, accuse the political parties of failing to communicate with the electorate.

Karima Sefri, a 22-year-old student, voices disappointment that political parties “only become visible during elections”.

“Yet it is known that political actors must be constantly on the ground to listen to citizens, provide oversight and respond to grievances,” she says.

Haitam Turabi, a 26-year-old bank executive, agrees that politicians don’t engage with the public on national issues that are critical to the lives of citizens.

“Political parties receive state subsidies and therefore should play an important role in society,” teacher Siham Boutalbi tells Magharebia.

She says their responsibilities should include guiding citizens, especially young ones, in order to fight fundamentalism and other scourges to society.

“Instead, we see waffling around several issues and partisan bickering that does not interest the public. Worse, this reinforces a growing aversion of young people to politics,” the teacher adds.

According to political analyst Hamza Dahbi, “political parties are called upon to work hard to establish democracy within their entities and allow their young people to express and exercise influence around them.”

“They must also build external communication, primarily through guidance for citizens and raising awareness,” he says.

But the image of political parties is tarnished, he adds. In order to restore credibility with youth, the analyst continues, parties must expand outreach efforts and speak a language close to young peoples’ everyday concerns.

Dahbi says that even though students need guidance, politicians have been “conspicuously absent” from Moroccan universities. “There is great potential to be exploited at this level,” he notes.

“Political parties must stop playing, as usual, the card of ‘limited financial means’ as a reason” for failing to hold regular meetings with citizens, the analyst argues.

“New technologies now support the mission of political parties, whose main target should be youth. Partisan formations can create excellent debate topics, consult with citizens, and rescue those who, for lack of dialogue and listening, find refuge with obscurantists,” he adds.