Amidst the Arab Spring, A Quiet Thaw in Morocco
July 8, 2011 1 Comment
Mohammed VI of Morocco
The Middle East has been characterized by growing instability in the first half of 2011 with multiple regime changes (Tunisia and Egypt), civil war (Libya), and continuing waves of protest (Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria). The surprising rapidity with which this new “wave” of democratization has swept across the region has challenged many assumptions that scholars and policy makers have held regarding the adaptability of democracy in that region, and has led to wide speculation as to which countries would be next to topple their regimes. Among these countries to go on the proverbial chopping block was Morocco, but with the passage of constitutional reforms late last week, Morocco has once again defied the odds, remaining a monarchy.
Despite widespread poverty and a restive population of jobless youth, Morocco has largely escaped the broader violence of the region. This does not make the political situation any less precarious, but Mohammed VI, the current king, has chosen to adopt a path of slow, but progressive reform in the face of mounting domestic political pressure. Though critics of the regime continue to call for greater change and decry the corruption in the regime, the gradual process of democratization that the king has embarked upon since his coronation in 1999 has enabled a greater degree of stability.
When I first started this blog, I briefly wrote about the prospects of democracy in Morocco (Part 1 and Part 2) and came to the conclusion that the process of democratization in Morocco would be slow and difficult, and success would not necessarily be capable of replication across the region. Events of the last months have confirmed this initial analysis. While “reform” has stormed into countries inciting civil war and bloodshed, Morocco’s protests have been generally mild by comparison, though some did result in loss of civilian life. And while reform measures were passed in other countries only with the overthrow of governments, Morocco has shown itself able to change without throwing its government out on its ear.
The reason for this is the constancy of the monarchy. This institution has been at the head of Moroccan society for over 400 years and enjoys tremendous respect and admiration among the people. The king has successfully used this influence to push forward reform measures on education and women’s rights, which is no small thing. This process has culminated in perhaps the greatest reform in this recent referendum: The monarchy surrendering executive power to a prime minister. While parties loyal to king will certainly be in the majority for some time, and the status of opposition groups remain unclear, this is a systemic change in the political structures in this country. The fact that it was done without institutional collapse speaks volumes on the Moroccan government’s ability to see these reforms through.
Liberalization is a slow process and the Moroccan reforms are not sudden and stormy like their regional counterparts. However, in the midst of this blustery Arab Spring, a gentle thaw is taking place in Morocco that bodes well for the eventual flowering of democracy in that kingdom.
