Qatari support for Morocco’s Benkirane

Doaa Emam

A new front has been formed in Morocco to advocate against a law expanding French education in the North African state.

The new development portends a struggle in which the French language will take center stage in the coming months. This will most likely put Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani on the spot.

This is particularly so after lawmakers affiliated to the Justice and Development Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Morocco and the party of the prime minister, voted for the law in parliament.

The former prime minister and former head of the party Abdelilah Benkirane is expected to benefit the most from the law for expanding French education in Morocco.

His party’s approval of the law brought the former prime minister back under the spotlight.

Benkirane is a close associate of Ahmad al-Raysuni, the current head of what is known as the International Union of Muslim Scholars, who lives in Qatar. Al-Raysuni keeps lashing out at Othmani and praising Benkirane.

A few days ago, al-Raysuni expected Benkirane’s return to the leader of the Justice and Development Party. He said several times that the majority of party members want Benkirane to return to the top spot in the party.

He is of the view that Benkirane’s return to the leadership of the Justice and Development Party would allow him to return to the government.

He ruled out the possibility of rifts within the party as a result of Benkirane’s return.

Al-Raysuni’s statements coincide with a speech by King Mohammed VI of Morocco in which he alluded to a possible cabinet reshuffle.

King Mohammed said the reshuffle would take place in September, noting that Morocco is on the threshold of a new era.

He also called on the government to make more efforts to launch new reforms.

The king also noted that ordinary Moroccan citizens do not feel the effects of the reforms implemented by the government so far.