ELECTIONS ISSUES ATTRACTING ATTENTION IN THE PRESS

UNCLAS RABAT 001415 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR MO SUBJECT: ELECTIONS ISSUES ATTRACTING ATTENTION IN THE PRESS REF: RABAT 1329 ¶1. (U) Summary: The 2007 legislative elections are getting increasing coverage in Moroccan press outlets. French-language dailies, Le Matin and Liberation, both published articles on the threat "political nomadism" presents to democracy and how the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) Party has recently called for a session with the Ministers of the Interior and Justice to investigate this alleged problem. The Unified Socialist Party (PSU) has vowed to providing more transparency and democracy during its December 2006 Congress, by representing all political currents and inviting non-party members to supervise. The electoral code, which has sparked much of the recent press attention, is still in debate with the Council of Ministers and has not yet passed to Parliament, despite earlier press reports indicating otherwise (Ref A). The French-language weekly, TelQuel, reported on small parties' reactions to the code, which vary between boycotting and alliance-forming. The Party of Justice and Development (PJD) and the USFP defend the electoral code and deny claims that it is "undemocratic." End Summary. -------------- Political Nomadism -------------- ¶2. (U) French-language daily, Le Matin (July 25),reported that several parliamentarians are planning to leave the Lower Chamber in order to present themselves for the Upper Chamber elections set for September 8. Le Matin published four names, all from the Popular Movement Union (UMP),of parliamentarians whom have already left, and indicated that the trend may be rising. The paper noted that the nine-year term and elections by an electoral college, rather than universal suffrage, is attractive to deputies. According to Le Matin, only the USFP denounced this phenomenon, going as far as calling the deputies traitors to their electors. The USFP called upon the socialist parliamentary group to hold a session with the Ministers of the Interior and Justice to discuss the issue, according to the party's daily, Liberation (July 25). The paper noted that political nomadism greatly hurt the integrity of the Parliament. -------------- PSU's Lesson in Democracy -------------- ¶3. (U) The PSU aims to become a "democratic school," according to TelQuel (July 22-28). According to TelQuel, the three political currents of the party will present their respective platforms at the December Congress, which party members will vote on to decide which platform best represents the ideas of the PSU. PSU Secretary General, Mohamed Moujahid, announced to Le Matin (July 25) that the Congress will be supervised by a neutral commission made up of human rights militants and civil society leaders to ensure the transparency of the internal elections. The PSU has also criticized the USFP for not being open to all political currents in the country. According to Le Matin, the PSU hopes that in opening the debate to different beliefs within the party, the Government of Morocco (GOM) will do the same, especially regarding the electoral code. -------------- Small Parties' Reactions to Electoral Code -------------- ¶4. (U) French-language weekly, TelQuel (July 22-28), published an article on the reactions of small parties to the new electoral code. The far-left Democratic Path Party declared the first boycott of the elections in a July 9 communique, affirming that the predominance of the king, his counselors and the government prevent the development of any real democratic process. The communique also criticized the GOM for using old electoral lists and undemocratic distribution of constituencies, according to Le Journal (July 22-28). The neo-liberal Alliance of Liberties (ADL) Party considered the code undemocratic as it does not respect minorities or give free choice to citizens. The Party of Virtue and Vigilance (PVV) denounced the code as a conspiracy of the majority parties, according to TelQuel. ¶5. (U) Mustapha Moatassim, General Secretary of Al Badil Al Hadari, an Islamic leftist party legalized in June, considered the Democratic Path's declaration premature, but indicated it might follow suit if the electoral code is adopted in its current form. ADL has not yet decided if it will ally with the PSU or call for a boycott. The Avant Garde Social Democratic Party (PADS),who earlier decided to participate in the elections for the first time in two decades, said their position could also change. The PSU hesitates to make a decision before the electoral code itself is decided upon, but Le Matin reported that the party is planning to hold a sit-in in front of the Parliament during the presentation of the code. TelQuel considered that a "no" from the PSU would be a humiliation for the ongoing democratic transition. TelQuel felt the PSU is likely to gain votes from smaller leftist parties, such as the Labor Party, which has indicated it will vote PSU in 2007 to avoid an "empty-chair policy." ¶6. (U) Other parties have been more accepting of the code, according to the press. The founder of the Moroccan Union for Democracy Party (UMD),Abdellah Azmani, noted that the new code penalizes new parties and practically bars them from elections, but he affirmed his party would try to adapt. The center-left Front of Democratic Forces (FFD) regarded the code as a decision of the majority and confirmed its participation in the elections. The National Democratic Party (PND) remains confident that it will not only reach the seven percent limit but surpass it. The Constitutional Union Party's (UC) Secretary General, Mustapha Abied, denied the rumor that the party would appeal to royal arbitrage to modify the code, and said it is most important to regroup the political family into "clearly identifiable poles," according to TelQuel. -------------- Large Parties Continue to Support the Code -------------- ¶7. (U) The PJD claims it is not concerned with a seven percent threshold to obtain a seat in Parliament, as the party has said that entrance into the government is not a priority, according to TelQuel. (NOTE: The PJD has been accused of playing both sides and has not ruled out boycotting the elections. END NOTE) The USFP, considered the real architect of the code and accused by some of hegemonism over the other leftist groups, supports the code to reduce the "exaggerated number of political parties," as Mohamed Sassi told TelQuel, rather than to pursue hegemonic goals. USFP leader, Mohamed El Yazghi, was quoted in French-language daily, La Vie Eco (July 14),saying: "Morocco only has place for ten political parties." ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** RILEY