Morocco reshuffles cabinet, Muslim Brotherhood keeps losing ground

Doaa Emam

Head of the Moroccan Government Saad Eddine El Othmani unveiled his final list for the government reshuffle ordered by King Mohammed V, after cutting down appointments to 23 ministers from five parties as Morocco’s Progress and Socialism Party decided to withdraw, protesting policies by the Justice and Development Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Morocco.

El Othmani has pared down appointments to 23 ministers, as the pre-shuffle government included 39 ministers.

The new formation witnessed new faces and the return of technocrats strongly to the government, as the amendment hit a group of shiny names in the General Secretariat of the Justice and Development Party, which indicates the failure of Islamists in the management of the sectors assigned to them.

The tourism, housing, youth and culture, employment, justice and health ministers were changed, within a series of steps as Morocco is seeking a new development model to fight poverty and curb regional and social disparities.

Moroccan researcher Mohamed Taha told The Reference in an interview that the party in power was not able to set a tight and real strategy in politics, economy, or social, environment and cultural affairs.

He added that despite that Morocco allocated large budgets for developmental projects, poverty and marginalization kept on casting their shadows over the cities, villages and neighborhoods of Morocco, due to the government failure.

The Moroccan researcher also added that the Justice and Development Party failed to properly manage the affairs of the country and only focused on executing their own agendas, resulting irresponsible and uncalculated decisions.

In his latest speeches, King Mohammed VI called on the Head of Government to revitalize Morocco’s political elite and renew its public services.  The King was clear that high-level national elites should be “chosen on merit and competence.”

The King said in his Throne Day Speech that he had tasked Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani to prepare a list of competent elites eligible to take part in government.

It is worth mentioning that Former Secretary General of Morocco’s Justice and Development Party, Abdelilah Benkirane has said in press remarks that they came to the government to improve their financial situations because most of them were poor. Later, Muslim Brotherhood members owned villas, luxury cars and admitted their sons to international scholarships in Morocco and worldwide.