Friday, March 11, 2011

RABAT: Moroccans largely welcomed Thursday King Mohammad VI’s promise of sweeping reforms, announced as uprisings continue to rock the region, but said they wanted to see if concrete changes would result.
France and Spain also praised the monarch’s announcement in a rare national speech late Wednesday, calling it courageous and historic.

The king unveiled plans for constitutional reforms including a popularly elected prime minister with real powers, instead of a royal appointee, addressing the nation for the first time since pro-reform protests last month.

The country’s two television channels broadcast large extracts of the address Thursday morning, accompanied by mostly positive commentary.
“It is a very good speech which responded to the demands of many Moroccans,” civil servant Mohammad Oussedri told AFP.

The youths rallied thousands of people to pro-democracy protests in several cities on Feb. 20, with six people killed in unrest that erupted afterward. They have called, via Facebook, for more protests on March 20.

The king said a commission would work on constitutional revisions, with proposals to be made to him by June. A referendum would then be held, he said, without giving a date.
“The committee is encouraged to show resourcefulness and creativity in order to come up with an advanced constitutional system for Morocco, now and into the future,” he said Wednesday.

France hailed the address as “responsible and brave.” “We are convinced that is a major speech for Morocco and for all the region, particularly in the current context,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.
“The announcements concerning justice, women’s rights, pluralism, Moroccan identity and terms for regionalization are all significant and exemplary,” he said.

Spanish Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo called it an historic speech that appeared to have “significant scope.”

Protests in Morocco and Algeria were different from those in other countries in that they wanted reforms that have been under way for years to “be deepened and intensified,” he said.

In Rabat, manager Naima Glaf said he hoped the announcement would see an overhaul of the constitution.
“We want a constitution that breaks with the one we have, a real separation of powers and a more powerful prime minister who can be held accountable,” he said.

A 22-year-old student who gave his name only as Rachid said he would have liked more in the speech.
“He did not mention concrete reforms like the fight against corruption in the circles of power, social injustices, and the unfairness of the access to administrative jobs, which are monopolized by certain families,” he said.

King Mohammad, who has wide-ranging powers including over government, the army and the Supreme Court, underlined Wednesday a “firm commitment to giving a strong impetus to the dynamic and deep reforms … taking place.”

Perhaps  one of the most important of the seven major steps he outlined is the way the prime minister is chosen.
Instead of being appointed by the king, the prime minister will be drawn from the political party which leads in the elections in Parliament, he said.

The prime minister will have “effective executive power” and be “fully responsible for the government, public administration … and implementing the government’s program,” he said.
He also pledged “expanded individual and collective liberties and the reinforcement of human rights in all dimensions” and spoke of the “will to set up an independent judiciary.” – AFP, Reuters