Moroccan Political Rivals Unite on Overseas Voting Rights for Expats

Finally, the consensus reached around this old file! In the run-up to the 2021 legislative elections, the voting of MREs is the subject of debates within the political class. In this sense, the PAM can count on an unexpected ally with the PJD, its eternal adversary, reports the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

According to the same source, the Islamist leader, Slimane El Amrani, also called for the implementation of Article 17 of the Constitution. He believes that "the proxy voting of MREs has shown its limits and no longer has any value" all the more so since "the Constitution guarantees Moroccans residing abroad the right to vote and to stand for election from their countries of residence".

For her part, Nezha El Ouafi, the new Minister Delegate in charge of MREs, has called for a debate on the voting and candidacy of MREs. To achieve this objective, prerequisites must be defined, hence the need "to have a clear vision and a global perception of the voting and candidacy of MREs, in order to create a national consensus capable of activating Article 17 of the Constitution".

The previous Government had opposed both the amendment of the laws governing elections and the direct participation of MREs. With the consensus emerging around Article 17 of the Constitution, the light at the end of the tunnel seems close.