Morocco Reinstates Mandatory Military Service, King Approves New Law

In a press release, the Royal Palace indicates that this project aims "to set the procedures for registration, selection and enlistment of those subject to military service and the procedure followed for exemption from this service, as well as the procedure for voluntary declaration allowing women and Moroccans residing abroad to fill out the registration form on their own initiative".

The details of the special allowance concerning the expenses of the conscripts were also adopted during this council of ministers. Concretely, a monthly allowance of 1,050 to 2,000 dirhams will be paid to each conscript, explained government spokesman Mustapha Khalfi a few weeks ago, for an envelope of 500 million dirhams.

Furthermore, under "royal high instructions", it was decided that "the number of conscripts reach 10,000 during the current year, before bringing this figure to 15,000 during the next year".

The text sets the call-up age at 19 years, while military service is due up to the age of 25 for men. Persons over the age of 25 "who have benefited from one of the exemptions provided for by law can still be called up if the reason for their exemption is no longer current, and this up to the age of 40".

For the legislator, military service will strengthen social cohesion, open the way for conscripts to integrate into professional and social life by allowing them to benefit from military training and instill in them the military culture based on discipline, commitment, responsibility and respect for institutions.