The challenges Facing 9/4 Elections in Morocco Noureddine Boutahar

The king of Morocco Mohammed VI's intervention in his last speech to remind both

political parties and the voters of the purpose and spirit of elections is a clear and solid proof of the failure of our political parties and our system of education in the formation of ‘good’ Moroccan citizens. For decades now, both – parties and education – have been wasting taxpayer money and time without achieving the desired results. So, here we are again, preparing to start from scratch, with the big question in mind, “can we make it this time?”
I, personally, don’t think so because of the poor educational and cultural level of the people who vote. Bear in mind that the well-educated, the elite class, and the intelligentsia do not usually make it to the polls. So, the remaining poor and less educated who cast their ballots are prone to be deceived, cheated, or even bought because they often lack the protection and power of good education and knowledge to save them from the trickery and intrigues of politicians to make the right and best choice in the election of their representatives.
It's noteworthy that this section of society includes two subdivisions: one population is completely and hopelessly illiterate and the other population is in unenviable semi-illiteracy. The semi-illiterate has received a low-quality education that has made it ‘neither fish nor fowl’. However, both are vulnerable politically and economically because they suffer from a basic knowledge deficit to improve their political awareness in areas like democracy and the workings of political institutions. This is because our Moroccan Makhzen (ruling elite) doesn’t want quality education for all as it is a dangerous force for change which puts its interests at stake. Sadly, a couple of ministers in this government recently blamed the Moroccan people – who are the real victims in our political system - for the problems we have at present instead of the real original obstacles.
The severest and most pressing of these obstacles is education. All the education reforms in this country since independence have been a flop and have produced the kind of people that policy makers and officials are blaming and complaining about. Our education system has hit the skids because there is no real, strong political will to reform it. Reforming it would hurt the advantages and interests of the ruling elite. Consequently, our schools are sending out into the world a generation of young men and women whose majority can ‘neither fly nor walk’ for themselves but who can only follow the crowd. It should be no surprise, then, that people are more selfish than ever before; that our moral standards are rock bottom; that foul language and swear words are filling our streets; that sword-wielding thugs are roaming our streets and raiding people’s homes; and that good manners and right conduct are things of the past. Therefore, it will come as no surprise to anyone that the 9/4 elections, under such circumstances, will fail to achieve their purpose and will fail to have the desired results.
The second contributor in this puzzle is the political parties themselves. They are in a real crisis and cannot activate the citizens or train the candidates. People have grown increasingly frustrated with them because they are too weak to tackle their own perennial internal party problems, let alone the country’s. The major factor that fritters away their credibility is their exaggerated and unrealistic promises in the run-up to the elections: These soon break and decay when they hit the brick wall of reality and Makhzen resistance. Also, people are fed up with political parties bickering and never ending battles. Many of our political parties waste their time - and ours - calling each other names instead of focusing on our priorities. In addition, political parties, admittedly, “base their political action and election program on an ideology”, however, many of our political parties do not have a unifying ideology or principles or ideals; they emerged or were made from a vacuum to serve individual or a group of individual interests.

Let’s not forget also that people are tired of seeing political parties who make it to power spend most of their time wooing the Makhzen and trying to please the deep state. They dare not initiate any kind of real reform or approach the big corruption files lest they get their fingers burned. And because there are too many political parties - more that 30 – means that no one party ever wins an outright majority, and the ‘winning’ one always needs the help of small parties who have their own interests and agendas. This way, the government always ends up with too many spokes in the wheel, which renders it inefficient and impotent to effect any fundamental reform.

In brief, I am steadfast in my belief that the outcome of the September 4th elections will not, once again, yield desired results because our education is bastardized and plagued by failed policies and shortsighted decisions. Our political parties are weak, disorganized, lack strong roots in society and fail to get the support of thinkers, theoreticians, and influential academicians. However, the main takeaway for me is that if the ruling elite do not get off their high horse and make necessary concessions, both political parties and education will remain mired in their problems, which is not in the interests of the country as a whole.

Moroccan Makhzen plays chicken (Noureddine Boutahar)

"Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law." (Oliver Goldsmith)
It’s really disappointing and frustrating how those against the new constitution are treated and fought by the ruling elite (Makhzen). To my mind, people who seem to be against the constitution or who have reservations about it have adopted such an attitude as a reaction against the rotten mentalities in the ruling elite who claim they own absolute truth and exclude dissenting opinion and prevent others from voicing their opinion. It is also a reaction against the ruling elite's attempts to contain and hijack what I call the Moroccan Spring Movement.
Soon after the king’s speech on 06/17/2011, the Makhzen resorted to its antiquated practices of provocation against opposing activists in the streets and public squares using goon squads, repudiation and exclusion of different opinions, and biasing the rules of the campaigning game. Practices like these have disturbed and interfered with all attempts to build and reform this dear country for more than half a century. No harm in letting things go their normal course and pace instead of acting like a crow that picked its baby’s eye trying to kiss it – look how they are tarnishing the image of the country on the Internet. Be reassured, though, the constitution will be voted by a comfortable majority for the reasons we all know (illiteracy is the first in the list, and that’s why there has never been a real educational reform in this country).
I personally have no problem with the constitutions (old or new one). The problem is with these rotten mentalities, as I said earlier, which will not do any good to the country even if you provide them with the American Constitution (7 articles and 27 amendments that took two years to be debated and voted on). This ruling elite will never let go their powers, mindsets and prerogatives and privileges unless under duress. They will never be willing to apply and enforce the law and make EVERYONE obey the rules and be accountable. So, the new constitution will have no authority if it is put (and it seem it will be put) in the hands of the same people and antiquated institutions and organizations that abused the old ones. These include the political parties which had the opportunity to rule the country and gave bad account of themselves; the unions which have run out of steam and members and alienated all the working classes because they have sold out the employees to the politicians; and the associations and organizations whose interest is only fame and filling their coffers.
The constitutional debate has excluded the real change seekers of Morocco and included only unrepresentative political elite. These elite have not been part of the movement that led to the March 9th speech and eventually to the drafting of the new constitution. So why should they be trusted with it? They are up there ready to parrot whatever gets them some (political) favor and to applaud in expectation of something in return (though they haven’t lived up to their constituencies’ expectations)
Leftists, Islamists, and all Feb. 20th Movement young citizens who constitute a growing proportion of Moroccan population are a result of rejection and exclusion by the country’s political parties and structure. These political parties have not implemented democratic practices within their own structures let alone ask for its implementation in a country they view as a cash cow that enables them to live lavishly at the expense of development, transparency, and democracy. Oppression, wealth gaps and social inequality issues etc are election gimmicks produced and sold only during election period to more than 60% helpless illiterate Moroccans. Election period is the time of political theater and grandstanding. It is always time to throw accusations right and left and to fight the "Don Quixote battle" against the windmills: They eat fat tail with the wolf and cry with the shepherd.
It is almost impossible to imagine the executioners of yesterday – used to operating with impunity – to simply stand up and watch democracy move its pace and fashion forward. They are scared of democracy as bats are scared of light. They are afraid they might lose the lap of luxury and wastage as well as their uncontrolled and unfettered abuse of power. This morbid attachment to power and alienation of all sides is a chicken play because the wind of change has begun to blow and has turned irreversible tides.
"Nothing endures but change," said Heraclitus. So, our ruling elites should be prepared for the certainly coming change and make necessary concessions to save their face and hide. The old game of betting on time to heal the old large and deep wounds is an illusion at this time and age. They should show concrete signs of commitment and willingness to engage in genuine political reforms. They should release whistle-blowers, journalists and all political and opinion prisoners and detainees. Journalist Nini and his Almassae is an example of a model of free and committed press which will play a role in the passage to real democracy. Also, the state should be a real role model and abide by the law if it wants the citizens to do so and not allow itself “in the sins it condemns in others”. The Makhzen should also know that committed, visionary, and competent young leaderships and officials, as well as true and correct institutions, will get the best out of this constitution while waiting for a better and improved one. Hopefully, in Geoffrey Chaucer words,“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.” Last but not least, they should not try to abusively change the history and ethnicity of the country: Amazigh language hasn't been given its due place, attention, and importance yet. It's still lagging behind.