Rabat, Morocco – As Morocco prepares for parliamentary elections on September 23, political debate is centred much less on ideology and social gathering programmes than on the choice of one of many nation’s most influential public officers to enter partisan politics.
The choice by Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco’s minister delegate for the finances and president of the Royal Moroccan Soccer Federation (FRMF), to affix the Authenticity and Modernity Celebration (PAM) has prompted intense debate throughout the political class and social media.
Greatest recognized for his function in public finance and the transformation of Moroccan soccer, Lekjaa constructed his popularity in public administration moderately than electoral politics.
His transfer represents greater than a easy social gathering affiliation. It displays a broader shift in Moroccan politics, the place managerial competence, state-led improvement and nationwide status have gotten more and more necessary sources of political legitimacy.
Mustafa Ahdar, a researcher in constitutional legislation and political science at Ibn Zohr College in Agadir, advised Al Jazeera that Lekjaa joined PAM lower than three months earlier than the elections, making the timing politically vital.
“From a constitutional perspective, each Moroccan citizen is free to affix any political social gathering below the 2011 Structure,” Ahdar mentioned, noting that former PAM secretary-general Abdellatif Ouahbi has publicly reaffirmed this precept.
“Nevertheless, somebody who concurrently heads the nationwide soccer federation and occupies a senior ministerial place can’t realistically be seen in the identical manner as an extraordinary citizen coming into politics.”
The timing issues for an additional purpose: the federal government fashioned after the election will oversee Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it should cohost with Spain and Portugal.
With billions anticipated to be invested in infrastructure, transport and tourism, commentators have more and more described the following administration as Morocco’s “World Cup authorities”, one more likely to be judged as a lot by its capacity to ship the event as by conventional financial indicators.
From social gathering politics to efficiency politics
Lekjaa’s rise displays a broader pattern in Morocco and past, the place profitable public officers are more and more changing into political belongings in their very own proper.
As finances minister, he turned carefully related to main infrastructure and funding initiatives whereas rising as a central determine in Morocco’s soccer renaissance.
The Atlas Lions’ historic run to the semifinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup remodeled Morocco’s worldwide picture, strengthened its mushy energy throughout Africa and the Arab world, and made soccer an emblem of nationwide ambition and institutional effectiveness.
For Ahdar, nevertheless, the pattern raises deeper questions concerning the function of political events.
“Political events are presupposed to create areas the place residents develop into politically engaged and future leaders emerge,” he mentioned. “When events more and more recruit influential personalities who’ve constructed their recognition outdoors politics, they threat abandoning that mission.”
A altering voters
Morocco’s political evolution additionally displays altering voter behaviour.
Turnout exceeded 50 % within the 2021 parliamentary elections, but practically half of eligible voters nonetheless abstained.
Many analysts argue that this displays scepticism in the direction of political events moderately than a scarcity of political curiosity, significantly amongst youthful Moroccans, who more and more specific their issues by way of social media activism and protests over unemployment, rising dwelling prices and public companies.
In keeping with Ahdar, the controversy surrounding Lekjaa illustrates this shift.
“PAM is a component of the present governing coalition and faces criticism over its governmental report,” he mentioned. “But the controversy at this time is centred way more on Lekjaa’s arrival than on the social gathering’s political programme or achievements.”
He famous that some social media customers had even joked that “Lekjaa attracted PAM moderately than PAM attracting Lekjaa”, reflecting what he described because the rising personification of politics.
Morocco’s constitutional framework
Morocco’s 2011 Structure expanded the powers of parliament whereas sustaining the monarchy’s central function in authorities formation. Below Article 47, the king appoints the top of presidency from the social gathering profitable the biggest variety of parliamentary seats.
Morocco’s proportional electoral system virtually all the time produces coalition governments, making post-election negotiations practically as necessary because the vote itself.
Hypothesis over Lekjaa’s future political function has intensified, regardless of no official indication that he’s being thought-about for head of presidency.
Ahdar additionally sees parallels with Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who entered partisan politics after establishing himself outdoors conventional social gathering buildings.
“This inevitably raises questions on inner social gathering democracy,” he mentioned. “Many social gathering activists spend years progressing by way of social gathering ranks, whereas outsiders generally attain senior positions in a short time.”
He added that observers will naturally ask whether or not such strikes replicate real political conviction or primarily pragmatic political calculation.
The PAM issue
Based in 2008, PAM presents itself as a modernising political power centered on institutional reform, regional improvement and financial modernisation. The social gathering has additionally confronted corruption and abuse-of-office controversies involving a few of its elected officers.
For PAM, recruiting a determine related to efficient governance and soccer success might reinforce its picture as a celebration of competence whereas serving to shift consideration from criticism of the governing coalition’s financial report.
Between legitimacy and expectations
Administrative competence can strengthen political credibility, however governing requires greater than managerial effectivity. Morocco continues to face main challenges, together with unemployment, schooling, healthcare, regional inequalities and rising dwelling prices.
Nouh El Harmouzi, head of the Arab Heart for Analysis, believes Lekjaa’s administrative profile however explains the eye surrounding his political transfer.
“Few senior officers mix his expertise in public finance, institutional administration and strategic planning,” he advised Al Jazeera.
“The subsequent authorities will face monumental budgetary pressures alongside rising geopolitical and financial dangers whereas concurrently delivering one of many largest initiatives in Morocco’s fashionable historical past: the 2030 World Cup.”
Past Lekjaa
The talk has additionally attracted consideration amongst Moroccans overseas.
Touria Guerraoui, a Moroccan-French know-how professional, mentioned the diaspora has adopted Lekjaa’s political transfer with specific curiosity due to his recognition by way of soccer.
“Many Moroccans dwelling overseas carefully adopted the nationwide staff’s achievements and really feel linked to that success,” she advised Al Jazeera. “His choice to affix PAM has made many within the diaspora extra attentive to this election.”
She argued that Morocco is just not distinctive in seeing influential senior state officers enter politics, pointing to French President Emmanuel Macron, who entered nationwide politics after a profession within the personal sector and public administration.
“A big a part of Morocco’s soccer staff comes from the diaspora, and their achievements have generated monumental delight,” she mentioned. “However many individuals at the moment are asking whether or not the effectiveness demonstrated in soccer administration will also be translated into the financial and social progress that Moroccans anticipate.”
