WWW.IPPR.ORG ReforminMorocco TheroleofpoliticalIslamists ByAlexGlennieandDavidMepham September2007 ©ippr2007 InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch Challengingideas– Changingpolicy 2 ippr|ReforminMorocco:TheroleofpoliticalIslamists Contents Aboutippr.................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Aboutippr’sinternationalprogramme ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Abouttheauthors ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Abbreviationsanddefinitions.................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.RecentpoliticalhistoryofMorocco....................................................................................................................................... 6 3.IslamistpartiesandmovementsinMorocco ......................................................................................................................... 8 4.WhatdoesthePJDbelievein?............................................................................................................................................ 10 5.Theroleofinternationalpartners........................................................................................................................................ 13 References................................................................................................................................................................................ 16 3 ippr|ReforminMorocco:TheroleofpoliticalIslamists Aboutippr TheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)istheUK’sleading influencebeyondtheUK,givingusatrulyworld-classreputationfor progressivethinktank,producingcutting-edgeresearchand highqualityresearch. innovativepolicyideasforajust,democraticandsustainableworld. Since1988,wehavebeenattheforefrontofprogressivedebate ippr andpolicymakingintheUK.Throughourindependentresearchand 30-32SouthamptonStreet,CoventGarden,LondonWC2E7RA analysiswedefinenewagendasforchangeandprovidepractical Tel:+44(0)2074706100 solutionstochallengesacrossthefullrangeofpublicpolicyissues. [email protected] www.ippr.org WithofficesinbothLondonandNewcastle,weensureouroutlook RegisteredCharityNo.800065 isasbroad-basedaspossible,whileourinternationalandmigration teamsandclimatechangeprogrammeextendourpartnershipsand ThispaperwasfirstpublishedinSeptember2007.©ippr2007 Aboutippr’sinternationalprogramme ippr’sinternationalprogrammewascreatedinJuly2002.Itsaimis Centre),RichardDowden(RoyalAfricanSociety),AnnGrant toapplyippr’scorevaluesofsocialjustice,opportunityand (StandardChartered),StefanieGrant(HarrisonGrantSolicitors), sustainabilitytosomeofthemostpressingglobalissuesandto DavidHeld(LondonSchoolofEconomics),RichardJolly(Institute formulatepracticalpolicyresponsestothem.Theprogrammeseeks forDevelopmentStudies),MatsKarlsson(WorldBank),Glenys tomakeapolicycontributioninfourbroadareas:globalsecurity, KinnockMEP,BronwenManby(OpenSocietyFoundation),Lord povertyreductionandsustainabledevelopment,humanrights,and BhikhuParekhandAndrewPuddephatt(GlobalPartnersand nationalandglobalgovernance. Associates). Theprogrammeissupportedbyaninternationaladvisorygroup, Forfurtherinformationabouttheprogramme’swork,pleasevisit including:ProfessorKevinBoyle(EssexUniversityHumanRights www.ippr.org/international. Acknowledgements TheauthorsareparticularlyindebtedtoLenaEl-Malak(formerly GeorginaKyriacouforeditingandproduction,andVictoriaO’Byrne ippr)forhervaluableresearchworkonthisproject,andforher andKateStanleyfortheirusefulcommentsonthereport. assistanceinorganisingtheipprseminarinRabatinApril2007on Responsibilityforthereport’scontentsrestsexclusivelywiththe politicalreforminMorocco.Atippr,wewouldalsoliketothank authors. Abouttheauthors DavidMepham isanassociatedirectorandheadoftheinternational AlexGlenniehasbeenaResearchAssistantintheinternational programmeatippr.HeisalsoavisitingfellowattheCentreforGlobal programmesinceMay2006.Previouslysheinternedat GovernanceattheLondonSchoolofEconomics.From1998to2002, AccountAbility,aninternationalnon-governmentalorganisationthat DavidwasaspecialadviserattheUK’sDepartmentforInternational workstopromoteaccountabilityforsustainabledevelopment.Alex Development(DfID).HisrecentpublicationsincludeChangingStates: holdsaMastersdegreeinInternationalStudiesandDiplomacyfrom AprogressiveagendaforpoliticalreformintheMiddleEast(2006), theSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudiesandaBAhonoursdegree SafeguardingCivilians:DeliveringontheResponsibilitytoProtectin inInternationalHistoryfromtheLondonSchoolofEconomics. Africa (2007)andProgressiveForeignPolicy:Newdirectionsforthe UK (2007). 4 ippr|ReforminMorocco:TheroleofpoliticalIslamists Abbreviationsanddefinitions AKP AdaletveKalkınmaPartisi(TurkishJusticeandDevelopmentParty) CCDH ConseilConsultatifdesDroitsdel’Homme(ConsultativeCouncilforHumanRights) ENP EuropeanNeighbourhoodPolicy EU EuropeanUnion IER InstanceEquitéetReconciliation(EquityandReconciliationCommission) ISF IslamicSalvationFront(Algeria) MPDC MouvementPopulaireDémocratiqueetConstitutionnel(PopularDemocraticandConstitutionalMovement) NGO Non-governmentalorganisation PJD PartyofJusticeandDevelopment(Morocco) UNFP UnionNationaledesForcesPopulaires(NationalUnionofPopularForces) USFP UnionSocialistedesForcesPopulaires(SocialistUnionofPopularForces) AmiralMu-minin: Usuallytranslatedas‘CommanderoftheFaithful’,andreferstoleaderswhodrawtheirlegitimacyfromacommunityof Muslims.Atpresent,KingMohammedVIofMoroccoistheonlyMuslimleaderpermittedtobearthistitle. Makhzan: Afluidterm,oftenusedtodescribethewebofpoliticalinstitutionsandsocialalliancesthathascoalescedaroundthe Moroccanmonarchy. Mudawana: ThesocialcodeinMorocco,whichgovernsmanyaspectsoffamilylife.Itisparticularlyconcernedwiththeduties(and, morerecently,therights)ofwomen. Shari’a: ThebodyofIslamiclawthatgovernspubliclifeandcertainaspectsofprivatelifeforallMuslims.Ratherthanasetof codifiedlaws,Shari’alawisbasedontheinterpretationofanumberofsources,includingtheQur’an,theHadith (sayingsandconductoftheprophetMohammed)andfatwas(therulingsofIslamicscholars). Ulema: ThehighestclassofMuslimlegalscholars.TheulemaengageinmanyfieldsofIslamicstudyandareusuallyreferredto asthearbitersofshari’alaw. 5 ippr|ReforminMorocco:TheroleofpoliticalIslamists 1.Introduction actorsshouldgiveupcompletelyonanyattempttosupportbetter governance,democracyorhumanrights(Mepham2006,2007).The caseforreformisstillacompellingone.Thepoliticalstagnationthat Whiletheterm‘politicalIslam’isnowwidelyusedinthewestern characterisesmuchoftheregionisfailingmillionsofitspeopleand mediaandamongwesternpolicymakers,thereisstillfairlylimited contributingtohugesocialtensions.Widespreadrepression,alack formalengagementwithpoliticalIslamistpartiesandmovementsin ofpoliticalvoice,asenseofalienationanddisempowerment:these areasliketheMiddleEastandNorthAfricaonthepartofEuropean aretheveryconditionsthatarebreedinganger,extremismand andNorthAmericangovernments.Thereareexceptionstothis.For violence.Thisangerisdirectedmainlyatlocalrulers,butitcanalso example,westerngovernmentshavenormaldiplomaticrelations impactoutsidetheregion,includingthroughanti-westernIslamic withthepoliticalIslamistAKPgovernmentinTurkey.Asa terrorism. consequenceofsecurityandpoliticaldevelopmentswithinIraq followingtheinvasionof2003,theUnitedStates,UnitedKingdom Butwesterngovernmentsneedtolearnfromrecentfailuresandto andothershavealsobeendrawnintoextensivedealingswith thinkfarmoreintelligentlyandcreatively,andwithamuchgreater politicalIslamistmovementsthere,particularlytheShiaparties,who degreeofhumility,abouthowhumanrightsanddemocratic nowrepresentthelargestblocofelectedrepresentativesinIraq’s freedomscanbestbesupportedfromtheoutside.Itisclearly Parliament.Therearesomecontacts,too,betweenwestern importanttoberealisticaboutwhatcanbeachievedinparticular governmentsandpoliticalIslamistmovementsinAsia. countriesandoverparticulartimescales.Insomecases,supportfor politicalreformmightinvolvepushinghardnowforgenuinelyfree ButintheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica,formalengagement elections.Inothercases,ahighershort-termpriorityforpolitical remainsverymuchtheexceptionratherthantherule.Thereappear reformmightbeencouragingtheenlargementofapoliticalspacein tobetwoprincipalreasonsforthis.First,westerngovernmentshave whichoppositiongroupsorcivilsocietycanfunction,greater wellestablishedrelationshipswithmanyoftheregimesinthe freedomforthepress,fairerlegalprocesses,adherencetouniversal region,andthesetendtobestronglyopposedtoforeign humanrightsstandardsandsupportforeducationalreformsand governmentsdealingdirectlywiththeirIslamistopposition culturalexchanges. movements.Indiscussionswiththeirwesterncounterparts,Arab rulersfrequentlyinvokethethreatofanIslamisttakeover, Noneofthismeansweakeningthecommitmenttodemocracyin particularlywhentheyarebeingpressedbywesterngovernmentsto theMiddleEast.Butitdoesmeanthinkingmorepragmatically