The Party of Justice and Development's Pragmatic Politics
ISSUE BRIEF 05.31.18 The Party of Justice and Development’s Pragmatic Politics Amina Drhimeur, Ph.D., Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO), Bonn, Germany In response to anti-government protests initiate democratic reforms. However, did that swept across the Middle East and pragmatic politics grant the party leeway North Africa during the Arab uprisings, to implement such reforms? I argue that King Mohammed VI of Morocco announced such politics constrained the PJD and failed constitutional reforms in 2011 with a view to protect it from moves to weaken and to expand the powers of the country’s fragment the party. parliament and to grant the judiciary greater independence. Against this background of change, the Justice and Development Party PRAGMATIC POLITICS AND PARTY (PJD) rose as a major political party and SURVIVAL secured two successive electoral victories, in In order to survive in a highly constrained 2011 and 2016. The new constitution of 2011, political context, the PJD recognized the however, maintained the king’s executive necessity of gaining the monarchy’s trust. powers over strategic issues and preserved The party thus prioritized improved relations his religious and political prerogatives. The with the palace over confrontation. The PJD, king is “the commander of the faithful” and which had once called for a “democratic the head of the ministerial council, and has struggle,” began calling for “an effective the right to dissolve the parliament.1 Another partnership” to build a democracy.4 To this In order to survive in constraint in this context is Morocco’s highly end, it endorsed the king’s decisions and fragmented multi-party system, which a highly constrained showed clear support for the monarchy’s makes it difficult for powerful parties to political context, the political and religious roles.5 In his speeches, gain ground or become dominant.
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