Morocco: Islamist Party Takes Over New Government
As expected, the King of Morocco appointed on Tuesday the members of the new government following the win of Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) in elections held late November. The new government will be presided over by Abdelilah Benkirane, leader of the PJD. The party will also have the largest number of ministerial positions, with 11 portfolios out of 30, including that of Justice.
In the elections held on the 25th November, the PJD came top, taking 107 seats out of 395 seats in the kingdom’s Parliament . Its leader Abdelilah Benkirane was then asked by the monarch to form a government. The new Constitution grants the prime ministry post to the party winning the most seats in the parliamentary elections. PJD’s coalition partner, the Istiqlal (Independence) party came second with 60 seats. The Popular Movement (Liberal) won 32 seats and the Party of Progress and Socialism (ex-Communist) won 18 seats.
Soon after it victory, the PJD was quick to clarify that it would not impose a strict religious code in a country heavily dependent on tourism. The party said it was loyal to the monarchy.
List of Ministers:
– Abdelilah Benkirane: Head of Government
– Abdellah Baha: Minister of State
– Mohand Laenser: Interior Minister
– Saad-Eddine El Othmani: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
– Mustafa Ramid: Minister of Justice and Freedom.
– Ahmed Toufiq: Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs.
– Driss Dahak: Chief Cabinet Secretary.
– Nizar Baraka: Minister of Economy and Finance.
– Nabil Benabdellah: Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and Urban Policy.
– Akhannouch Aziz: Minister of Agriculture and Fishing.
– Mohamed El Ouafa: Minister of Education.
– Lahcen Daoudi: Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Education.
– Mohamed Ouzzine: Minister of Youth and Sports.
– Aziz Rabbah: Minister of Public Works and Transport.
– El Hossein El Ouardi: Minister of Health.
– Mustapha El Khalfi: Minister of Communication, spokesman for the government.
– Fouad Douiri: Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment.
– Abdelouahed Souhail: Minister of Employment and Training.
– Abdelkader Aamar: Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies.
– Lahcen Haddad: Minister of Tourism.
– Bassima Hakkaoui: Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family and Social Development.
– Mohamed Amine Sbihi: Minister of Culture.
– Abdessamad Qaiouh: Minister of Crafts.
– Lahbib Choubani: Minister for Relations with Parliament and civil society.
– Abdellatif Loudiyi: Minister Delegate to the Head of Government responsible for the Administration of National Defence.
– Abdellatif Maâzouz: Minister Delegate to the head of government in charge of Moroccans living abroad.
– Charki Draiss: Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Interior.
– Youssef Amrani: Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
– Mohamed Najib Boulif: Minister Delegate to the head of government in charge of General Affairs and Governance.
– Abdeladim El Guerrouj: Minister Delegate to the Head of Government responsible for Public Service and Administration Modernization.
– Azami Idriss Al Idrissi: Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance.
