Morocco: A Reformist Monarchy?

This article argues that Morocco avoided revolution in 2011 because King Mohammed VI had already begun the long-term process of liberalizing the Moroccan state in 2004. Although the 2011 mass protests were successful in inducing the King to accelerate constitutional reforms that devolved some of his power to the parliament, the King still retained his authority to appoint his preferred candidates to key ministries and remained in control of the army. Within this evolutionary process, the King is still a fundamental aspect of the political system, relying on his symbolic political capital and Morocco’s weak political party system to bolster his strength and weaken his political opponents.