Research Africa > North of Africa > Morocco > Politics

Politics        0  684 reads

1) Government
 

Administrative divisions
15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara
Administrative divisions > A note
three additional provinces of Ad Dakhla (Oued Eddahab), Boujdour, and Es Smara as well as parts of Tan-Tan and Laayoune fall within Moroccan-claimed Western Sahara; decentralization/regionalization law passed by the legislature in March 1997 created many new provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the reorganization not yet available
Administrative divisions > Note
Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador Sauli Feodorow
Capital city Rabat
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 34 01 N, 6 49 W
Capital city > Name Rabat
Capital city > Time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996
Constitutional monarchy > current constitutional monarchies > Last constitution established 1962
Constitutional monarchy > current constitutional monarchies > Monarch selected by
Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Constitutional monarchy > current constitutional monarchies > Type of monarchy Kingdom
Copyright > Reference Art. 25,
Corruption 3.2 [80th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection 50 pma
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission
Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general Casablanca
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy
2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [212] (37) 76 56 61
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address
PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [212] (37) 76 22 65
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery
1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 265-0161
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 462-7979
Elections > Head of state Monarchy
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address 38 Range Road
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood Sandy Hill
Executive branch > Cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Executive branch > Chief of state
King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
Executive branch > Elections
the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections
Executive branch > Head of government
Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007)
Flag description
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912
Flag modification 17 [103rd of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment June 26, 1992
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment February 18, 1975
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth 7.69 % [23rd of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ 8,094,097,000 constant 2000 US$ [39th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita) 268.3 constant 2000 US$ per c [58th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU 37362860000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU 104216000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ 11,755,890,000 $ [42nd of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP) 0.228 $ per $1 of GDP [22nd of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita) 389.68 $ per capita [68th of 184]
Government type constitutional monarchy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom
 Charles Gray
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type Embassy
Independence
2 March 1956 (from France)
Independence Day > Date March 2
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)
Legal origin
 French
Legal system
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results
Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39
Legislative branch > Elections
Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 7.55 % [1st of 38]
National holiday
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
Parliamentary seats > Female 1% [136th of 143]
Partners in Population and Development > Representatives > Name
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 39.18 % [4th of 38]
political parties > Multi party •
Political parties and leaders
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Independence Party (Istiqlal) or PI [Abbas EL FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Abdelilah BENKIRANE]; Labor Party [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha EL MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP
Political pressure groups and leaders
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]
Prime minister Driss Jettou
Procedures to build a warehouse > number 21 [37th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita) 0.696 per 1 million people [129th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number 42 [43rd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita) 1.392 per 1 million people [127th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number 4 [131st of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita) 132.59 per 1 billion people [142nd of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > % 10.8 % [115th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number 6 [142nd of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita) 0.199 per 1 million people [145th of 171]
Status
 democracy
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)
Time required to build a warehouse > days 217 days [61st of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days 615 days [51st of 171]
Time required to register property > days 46 days [92nd of 167]
Time required to start a business > days 12 days [153rd of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours 468 hours [30th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years 1.8 years [119th of 151]
Total businesses registered > number 192,966 [35th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita) 6.697 per 1 million people [51st of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents 1,256 [46th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita) 0.045 per 1 million people [85th of 146]
Trademarks, residents 2,553 [41st of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita) 91.708 per 1 million people [73rd of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa
UN membership date 12 Nov. 1956
United Nations mission
http://www.un.int/morocco/english/index.html


 

SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; CIA World Factbook, 14 June, 2007 ; Wikipedia: List of Ambassadors from Finland ; Wikipedia: Constitutional monarchy ; Wikipedia: List of countries' copyright length ; Transparency International; Wikipedia: Elections by country ; Wikipedia: List of embassies and high commissions in Ottawa ; Flagspot; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia ; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Nepal ; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom ; Wikipedia: Independence Day ; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; Wikipedia: Partners in Population and Development ; Wikipedia: List of political parties ; Wikipedia: Prime minister ; electionworld.org; Wisconsin High School Model United Nations

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Morocco, Kingdom of Morocco, Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah, Al Maghrib

Democracy
 

Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 4.77 [62nd of 118]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 4.62 [79th of 119]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 4.48 [74th of 119]
Civil and political liberties 2.5 [92nd of 140]
Electoral system first-past-the-post
Electoral system type plurality
Female candidacy 1,963 [28th of 161]
Female parliamentarians 0.5% [153rd of 157]
Female suffrage 1963
First female parliamentarian 1993 (elected)
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.893556213684471 [125th of 183]
Homosexuality laws of the world > Homosexuality laws > Laws against homosexuality Yes
Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 17.1% [4th of 110]
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 51.6% [134th of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Total vote 7,165,210 [35th of 154]
Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 13,884,500 [32nd of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 14,852,800 [33rd of 163]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population (per capita) 453.854 per 1,000 people [117th of 162]


 

SOURCES
Bertelsmann Transformation Index online, 2006; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation ... /BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; No comment is being made on the state of democracy. Categorizations are based on the electoral law, or the last competitive election held; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Wikipedia: Homosexuality laws of the world ; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Morocco, Kingdom of Morocco, Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah, Al Maghrib

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