Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib
Data code: MO
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Rabat
Administrative divisions: 37
provinces and 2 wilayas*; Agadir, Al Hoceima, Azilal, Beni Mellal,
Ben Slimane, Boulemane, Casablanca*, Chaouen, El Jadida, El Kelaa
des Srarhna, Er Rachidia, Essaouira, Fes, Figuig, Guelmim, Ifrane,
Kenitra, Khemisset, Khenifra, Khouribga, Laayoune, Larache, Marrakech,
Meknes, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Sale*, Safi, Settat, Sidi
Kacem, Tanger, Tan-Tan, Taounate, Taroudannt, Tata, Taza, Tetouan,
Tiznit
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 creating many new
provinces/regions; specific details and scope of the reorganization
not yet available
Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 3 March (1961) (anniversary of King HASSAN II's accession to the throne)
Constitution: 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996
Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HASSAN II (since 3 March 1961)
head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since
14 March 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections
Legislative branch: bicameral
Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors
(270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional
organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third
of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house
or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; members elected by popular
vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselorslast held 5 December 1997
(next to be held NA December 2000); Chamber of Representativeslast
held 14 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002)
election results: Chamber of Counselorspercent of vote by
partyNA; seats by partyRNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27,
PND 21, IP 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, UT 13, FFD 12, CDT 11, UTM 8,
PPS 7, PSD 4, PDI 4, UGTM 3, UNMT 2, other 3; Chamber of Representativespercent
of vote by partyNA; seats by partyUSFP 57, UC 50,
RNI 46, MP 40, MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD
9, PSD 5, OADP 4, PA 2, PDI 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch
Political parties and leaders:
opposition: Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Abderrahmane
YOUSSOUFI]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas EL-FASSI]; Party of Progress
and Socialism or PPS [Moulay Ismail al ALAOUI]; Organization of
Democratic and Popular Action or OADP [Mohamed BENSAID]; Democratic
Socialist Party or PSD [Issa al-OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Forces
Front or FFD [Thami KHIARI]; Popular Constitutional and Democratic
Movement or MPCD [Dr. Abdelkarim al-KHATIB]
pro-government: Constitutional Union or UC [Abdellatif SEMLALI];
Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; National Democratic
Party or PND [Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI]; National Popular Movement
or MNP [Mahjoubi AHARDANE]; Social Democratic Movement or MDS
[Mahmoud ARCHANE]
independents: National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN];
Democracy and Istiqlal Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MACHE]; Action
Party or PA [Ahmed ABAKIL]; Labor Party or UT [leader NA]
labor unions and community organizations (indirect elections only):
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Union of Workers or UTM [Mahjoub BENSEDIQ]; Party of Shura and
Istiqla [Abdelwaheb MAASH]; Labor Union Commissions or CS [leader
NA]; Democratic Trade Union or SD [leader NA]; Association of
Popular Trade Unions or ADP [leader NA]; Democratic National Trade
Union or USND [leader NA]; Moroccan National Workers Union or
UNMT [leader NA]
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in
the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed BENAISSA
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from
the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward M. GABRIEL
embassy: 2 Avenue de Marrakech, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 3, APO AE 09718
telephone: [212] (7) 76 22 65
FAX: [212] (7) 76 56 61
consulate(s) general: Casablanca
Flag description: red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Solomon's seal in the center of the flag; green is the traditional color of Islam