Morocco Government Wins Parliament Confidence

The new coalition government of Morocco, led, for the first time, by the Islamic-leaning Justice and Development Party (PJD), won a vote of confidence by the parliament on Thursday.

 A total of 218 MPs voted for the four-party government of Prime Minister and PJD Chairman Abdelilah Benkirane against 135 without any abstention. The government, formed on January 3, enjoys larger powers compared to the previous government under the provisions of the new Constitution which was adopted in a national referendum on July 1, 2011.

 Article 88 of the Constitution empowers the leader of a party with largest representation at the parliament to nominate a prime minister, develop a policy statement and shoulder the responsibility for implementing it. In its statement, Benkirane’s government focuses on job creating to curb the spiraling unemployment, keep the inflation rate in the vicinity of 2.5 percent and secure a 5.5 percent annual economic growth rate.

 The opposition parties, notably the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and the National Congress Party, criticize the economic growth target saying it’s lower than last year’s seven percent. However, the majority of MPs argue that the government platform meets the aspirations of the grass roots for addressing the social and economic challenges in the wake of the events of the Arab Spring.

@KUNA

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