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Le Maroc dans une mauvaise passe sociale et diplomatique
Le Maroc vote aujourd’hui : élections législatives et locales. Elles pourraient voir un repli du parti islamiste PJD. Mais la vraie question est de savoir si le royaume du Maroc va demeurer l’ilot de stabilité et de croissance qui fait sa réputation. Et les signes de fragilité se multiplient.
www.franceinter.fr
Morocco in a bad social and diplomatic situation
Wednesday September 8, 2021 by Jean-Marc Four
Morocco votes today: legislative and local elections. They could see a withdrawal of the Islamist PJD party. But the real question is whether the kingdom of Morocco will remain the island of stability and growth for which it is famous. And the signs of fragility are multiplying.
Protesters from PAM, one of Morocco's main parties, at an electoral rally in Rabat on September 8
Protesters from PAM, one of Morocco's main parties, during an electoral rally in Rabat on September 8 © AFP / Jalal Morchidi / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu Agency via AFP
For a long time, the indicators remained green: sustained growth and symbols shown as examples (the port of Tangier, the development of digital technology or solar energy). So many arguments put forward by the Moroccan authorities to paint an almost idyllic picture. But today, you don't have to scratch hard to spot the cracks under the varnish.
First, there is the domestic political and social situation. Inequalities are growing, the poverty rate has increased almost tenfold in a year, the economy has shrunk by 7% under the impact of the pandemic. And tourism, the country's major resource, is in free fall: less than 65%. The economic record of the Islamist PJD party appears weak. And social discontent is very present.
The first technical investigations carried out by the judicial police attest to the presence of the Pegasus software in the phones of journalists
Then there is the safe turn of the screw. The pandemic is a good alibi for maintaining the curfew. Public freedoms are restricted. And journalists are being targeted: prosecuted, often for spurious motives, as soon as they make the slightest criticism of the regime. We are thinking of emblematic cases, such as Omar Radi or Souleimane Raissouni. Morocco has fallen to 136th place in the world ranking of press freedom established by Reporters Without Borders.
The social climate is therefore disillusioned, especially in medium-sized cities. It's not anger yet, because the fear is there. But the cracks are visible in the building.
Series of diplomatic tensions
So that's the situation inside. And then there is the outside and again it's not that great.
Still obsessed with the question of the territory of Western Sahara in its far south, Morocco gave in to pressure from Donald Trump last year. It became the 4th Arab country to recognize Israel, hoping in return for recognition by Washington of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. 9 months later, the results are not very good.
Diplomatic relations before the big Algerian neighbor are broken. The two countries are in deep disagreement over Western Sahara, and in obvious rivalry over regional leadership. And with European countries it is not much better. The tension is evident with Spain and Germany, which refuse to prosecute or even protect Sahrawi activists and leaders.
Migrants trying to enter Spanish slave in Ceuta in Morocco on May 19
To listen - WORLD
Migrants from Ceuta, hostages of political cynicism
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With France, it's not great either, after this summer's revelations about Morocco's use of Pegasus spyware to infiltrate the cell phones of several French journalists and political leaders. Revelations, in particular, from the investigation unit of Radio France.
To top it off, the United States, now Biden's version, has not recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara (although it previously said it wants to do so) and now openly criticizes human rights abuses in the kingdom. So again, on the outside, there are cracks in the front of the building.
An untouchable but fragile king
Obviously, the building always rests on an immutable base, the king; but here too there are questions.
And first, Mohammed VI, now 58 and in power for 22 years, has drifted into authoritarian governance. We are far from the reforms of the beginnings, the new family code improving the rights of women, the return from exile of the opponent Abraham Serfaty or then the constitutional reform supposed to rebalance the powers after the movement said of February 20.
And two, the health of the king questions. He has heart problems, he now leaves the palate very little. And during his “throne speech” at the end of July, he appeared palot, emaciated, tired, his hands clenched. This is a major issue, far more decisive than which of the Islamists or the liberals will come out on top in today's poll.
Let's get on well, the Moroccan monarchy remains solid. And criticizing it is in any case taboo and forbidden in Morocco.
Obviously, the building always rests on an immutable base, the king; but here too there are questions.
