Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT1415
2006-07-26 12:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
ELECTIONS ISSUES ATTRACTING ATTENTION IN THE PRESS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0025 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #1415/01 2071239 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 261239Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4332 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4100 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3033 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3250 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4310 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 8987 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 1942
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
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
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