Early elections in Morocco?

The Moroccan Prime Minister, Abbas El Fassi, has called for holding the upcoming legislative elections immediately after a referendum on constitutional reforms this year in response to protests against corruption and against his government.

Mr. el-Fasi said at a meeting with members of his Istiqlal (independence) party that it was impossible to wait until 2012 to hold the legislative elections amid increasing public anger against his government, local media reported on Monday.

Mr. El Fasi said it was necessary to respond to the “dynamism” in the Moroccan streets, and that an early election “must be held to start a new era.”

On Sunday tens of thousands of Moroccans staged peaceful protests across the country to demand more democratic reforms, justice and an end to corruption despite steps taken by King Mohammed VI to reform the constitution and release political prisoners.

In Casablanca, the pro-democracy “February 20” movement, which called for the protests, said more than 20,000 showed up at a rally that began at 11 a.m. The group has not issued a statement about the final estimated number of protesters.

“We want more equality and less corruption,” demonstrators chanted in Casablanca. “We want a king who rules but does not govern.”
The official Maghreb Arab Press news agency, meanwhile, reported that only 4,500 people had taken to the streets in the country’s biggest city.

In the capital Rabat, protesters were joined by delegations of Moroccans abroad from France and Belgium. A human rights activist who took part in the Rabat rally said that about 10,000 people participated in the demonstrations.

Protests were also staged in Marrakech, Fez, Agadir, and Tangiers. The February movement had announced that that 78 cities and towns across the kingdom—of about 32 million people, an estimated GDP of $154 billion, and a per capita income of about $5,000—would take part in Sunday protests.

Inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, dozens of Moroccan youth groups and human rights and civil society organizations came together in mass rallies on February 20, 2011. They called for amendment of the constitution, dissolution of the government and parliament, recognition of the Amazigh (Berber) language as an official language, and an end to corruption.

Defying boycotts by almost all political parties and an intensive smear campaign, the coalition of groups went ahead with their rallies with thousands participating.

Amid fears the protests might gain momentum, King Mohammad VI announced on March 9 a comprehensive constitutional reform. But his announcement was met with larger protests on March 20.

The movement says the King’s speech fell short of satisfying its demands, especially since he insisted on keeping his religious authority as the “Commander of the Faithful” in the anticipated constitution.

Sunday’s protests were announced on Facebook, YouTube, and in a show of defiance, even on the national official TV channel.

Several youth members of February 20 movement surprised television viewers last week when they held up placards referring to the planned mass protests during a live broadcast on state TV.

The movement recently released a video on its main Facebook page, which received 47,747 “likes,” showing several people expressing their demands and their reasons for planning protest on Sunday.

In a bid to boost turnout in the capital Rabat, the movement held the protest in a suburban area instead of the city center where there are high poverty and unemployment rates.

Authorities have previously briefly suspended bus transportation between the city center, where protests were held, and the highly populated suburbs.

(Mustapha Ajbaili of Al Arabiya can be reached at: [email protected])