My latest: The Facade of Political Crises in Morocco

I was reading a lot of reactions and articles trying to make sense of the announcement that the Istiqlal Party decided to withdraw from the government, but was frustrated by the lack of focus on the real sources of power in Morocco’s political system. I briefly put together a post that I hope addresses that:

In the biggest representation of where power truly lies in Morocco, Hamid Chabat, Istiqlal’s general secretary and former mayor of Fes, announced he is “waiting for the king’s response for further instructions.” Lakome also revealed that Mohammed VI, who is currently on vacation in France, communicated with Chabat within hours of Istiqlal’s announcement. Mohammed VI, once again finds himself in a convenient position to play “mediator” for opposing parties who cannot seem to move beyond politics to get things done. Understanding Istiqlal’s move in this context reveals the nature of Morocco’s political system, where elections serve more as a constructed facade–a cornerstone argument for the February 20 Movement’s decision to boycott elections during November 2011, despite the regime’s attempt to paint those elections as a “step forward” following the constitutional referendum.

Assuming that either Chabat or Benkirane have the power to initiate a political turning point is dismissive of the fact that they are active in sustaining the authoritarian status quo which capitalizes on the symbolic participation of these parties. Istiqlal’s decision to move to the opposition also demonstrates the futility of elections. Having previously held the same position as the PJD at the head of the ruling coalition, there is no doubt that the Istiqlal Party is acutely aware of the limits in that position and that a move to the opposition is an empty gesture. A liberal interpretation would perhaps suggest that Istiqlal’s move is intended to isolate Benkirane and his party, yet the notion of this isolation would arguably strenghten the PJD’s base as its supporters will point to the failure of Istiqlal to work with the PJD. Even so, the move is not shocking, especially following the verbal confrontations Chabat inititiated against Benkirane soon after he was elected the head of Istiqlal.

Read the whole piece over at Jadaliyya.

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI

It’s the center-top message that greets visitors perusing the 12th annual Mawazine Festival’s website. This year’s lineup features Rihanna, Psy, Enrique Iglesias, The Jacksons, David Guetta, Mika, Jessie J, among others (including a packed list of popular Arab singers). Previous editions of the festival have hosted Kanye West, Shakira, and Mariah Carey, among others.

Simply the large scale of the festival, along with the high profile headlines gives a general idea of the sheer cost of this festival. It’s no surprise, then, that the festival’s sponsors draws the creme de la creme of Morocco’s private sector–specifically, those companies that blur the lines between authoritarian politics and nepotistic business networks, with each serving one another diligently. Some of the sponsors highlighted on the festival’s website include the Jorf Lasfar Energy Company (JLEC), which is listed as the festival’s “major sponsor.” JLEC is 100% indirectly owned by the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA). which enjoys “support from the Abu Dhabi and UAE Government.” The following information listed on TAQA’s website lists their relationship with the Emirati government:

Our roots lie in an initiative launched by the Abu Dhabi Government in 1998 to privatise the Emirate’s water and electricity sector. The establishment of Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA) led to the creation of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company ‘TAQA’ in June 2005.

In August 2005 the company’s shares were listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange under the symbol TAQA. Through its various shareholdings, the Government of Abu Dhabi retains a majority stake (72.5%) in the company. It has repeatedly stated its support and backing for a limited number of wholly and partly state-owned enterprises – including TAQA.

 

Royal Protocol in Morocco Ridiculed

There’s a lot of unsettling condescension going on here, no doubt. But I wanted to share this video that has been making it rounds on social media among Moroccans. If this segment was done on Moroccan media, there are multiple articles that would’ve been cited from the penal code leading to charges and prison sentences. But alas, such is the Moroccan version of “democracy.” Take a look at French media turning the royal protocol in Morocco into a 5-minute joke. You don’t need to understand French to get what’s going on.

Edit: It appears the video I embedded below of the segment from Canal+ has been removed.