NDI - Morocco

Morocco Turns 'Arab Spring' Challenges into Opportunity for Reform | Dec. 8, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:41:02 +0000

Today, a panel of foreign policy experts and former U.S. diplomats in Washington, D.C. discussed Morocco's recent elections and the challenges that lie ahead for the ongoing reform process.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the U.S.," remarked Shari Bryan, vice-president of the National Democratic Institute, one of 4,000 U.S., international, and Moroccan observers during the Nov. 25 elections.

Link to story »

Islamist Party Takes Most Seats in Morocco Poll | Nov. 26, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:09:07 +0000

Associated Press | Link to story »

An Islamist Party is on track to become the largest party in Morocco's new parliament with a dominant showing after two-thirds of the seats have been announced by the Interior Ministry.

The U.S.-based National Democratic Institute, which sent an election observer mission to Morocco, estimated that 20 percent of the ballots they saw during counting were invalid, suggesting a "citizen interest in further and deeper political reforms," according to its statement.

Link to story »

Read more like this:

Moroccan Elections Challenged by Voter Mistrust | Nov. 24, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:03:53 +0000

Associated Press | Link to story »

It should be a moment of excitement: Moroccans are choosing a parliament in elections Friday prompted by the Arab Spring's clamor for freedom.

"Morocco can no longer say it is the only one with pluralism or that it has the 'most,' (pluralistic)," said Jeffrey England, of the National Democratic Institute, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to furthering democracy.

Link to story »

Moroccan Vote Puts Women's Gains to Crucial Test | Nov. 21, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:58:19 +0000

UPI | Link to story »

Morocco's Nov. 25 parliamentary elections are expected to decide if the country's new constitutional provisions for women can go beyond paper gains.

A delegation of international observers that arrived in the country on Oct. 20 has found that parties put forward their most popular, wealthiest, candidates. The delegation was organized by the National Democratic Institute, a pro-democracy group based in Washington, D.C.

Link to story »

Read more like this:

MP on the road to Morocco»

Morocco Prepares for Historic Vote, First Parliamentary Elections in the Region Since Arab Spring Began | Nov. 18, 2011

fgalleto — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:45:37 +0000

Sacramento Bee | Link to story »

On November 25, Moroccans will go to the polls to cast their vote in historic parliamentary elections following the adoption of broad Constitutional reforms in July. This will be the first Parliamentary election in the region since the Arab Spring began.

Nearly 4,000 Moroccan, US, and international observers, including the National Democratic Institute and Morocco's National Human Rights Council, are currently working with Moroccan civil society leaders to train and assist in carrying out the elections as well as ensure against irregularities on election day. To date, more than 13.6 million Moroccans have registered to vote.

Link to story »

Read more like this:

FAQ: Morocco's 2011 Parliamentary Elections»

Though Transparent, Morocco's Parliamentary Elections Show Citizen Interest in Further and Deeper Reform

fgalleto — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:36:49 +0000

Morocco’s Nov. 25 parliamentary elections – the first since popular protests earlier this year prompted a reform process and revisions to the country’s constitution – were conducted transparently, according to an international observation mission organized by NDI.

In its statement, the Institute noted that the lack of voter enthusiasm, calls for an election day boycott, and the significant number of invalid and spoiled ballots collectively “signal citizen interest in further and deeper reform.”

A Moroccan voter finds her name on the registry, while Jeffrey England observes the process. Photo by Andrew Farrand, NDI program officer.

“From a technical point of view, it was a fair election, but democracy is about substance as much as form,” said Bob Rae, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, former premier of Ontario, and co-leader of the delegation. “Seeing the number of people who actively spoiled their ballots as well as those who did not participate, it is clear that the path to real change will take more effort and time.”

The NDI delegation comprised 41 accredited observers from 21 countries who deployed to more than 200 polling stations throughout Morocco on election day. Among them were 10 long-term observers who have been in the country since late October and who will remain through early December to observe post-election developments. The purpose of the delegation is to provide an impartial assessment of the electoral process and to demonstrate the interest of the international community in the continued strengthening of democratic governance in Morocco. The mission builds on NDI’s 25 years of experience observing more than 200 elections around the world, including delegations in Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, and Morocco in 2007.

The delegation was led by Rae, Kastriot Islami, former chairman of the Albanian parliament and former minister of foreign affairs; Sally Shelton-Colby, former deputy secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Abdullah Al Derazi, secretary general of the Bahrain Human Rights Society; and Shari Bryan, NDI vice president.

NDI observers found that electoral authorities administered a technically sound voting process that – while not without flaws – allowed voters to cast their ballots without fear of tampering or procedural violations on election day. “The professionalism and neutrality that the polling officials displayed are a good step forward for the evolution of Morocco’s democracy,” noted Shelton-Colby.

Inspired by the Arab Spring, earlier this year Moroccans demonstrated an unprecedented level of political engagement in calling for systemic political reform. The evident lack of public enthusiasm during the campaign and on election day contrasted with this earlier energy. Yet on election day, the statement notes, “many citizens showed that they have not yet given up on the electoral process as a means of forging change.”

To capitalize on the opportunity that still remains, “Morocco’s new government will need to carry progress in the right direction,” said Islami.

The delegation recognized revisions to Morocco’s constitution that promote gender parity in decision-making bodies, which sets a strong example for the region. While the delegation was pleased to see a substantial turnout among women voters, in order to play a meaningful role in future electoral and political processes women must also be included in the electoral administration, in the leadership of political parties, and other key posts. Al Derazi noted that Moroccan women “cast their votes with spirit” and that “they want to contribute to the development of their country’s democratic process.”

“This is an encouraging sign and we hope that women in other Arab countries will follow suit,” he said.

In light of its observations, the NDI delegation recommended the following steps to enhance future electoral processes and Morocco’s democratic process as a whole:

The organization of an open and participatory public dialogue on political reform that more fully engages Morocco’s diverse and vibrant citizenry;
Review of election procedures, including ballot design, and the use of more robust voter education programs to reduce voter confusion and improve the ability to make accurate and informed choices at the ballot box; and
Further measures to promote gender parity as enshrined in Morocco’s constitution.

Read more:

Published Nov. 26, 2011

Preliminary Election Statement of the NDI International Observation Delegation to Morocco

fgalleto — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 20:18:08 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/26/2011

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

English, Arabic, French

English

Arabic

French

Attachment	Size
Read the statement (English)	190.92 KB
Read the statement (بالعربية)	474.65 KB
Read the statement (français)	301.08 KB

NDI Fields International Observers for Moroccan Parliamentary Elections

rrunyan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:01:11 +0000

NDI is fielding an observer mission for Morocco’s Nov. 25 parliamentary elections.

The delegation is made up of 41 accredited observers from 21 countries who will deploy throughout Morocco on election day. The group includes 10 long-term observers who have been in the country since October 25 and who will remain through early December to observe post-election developments.

NDI is fielding an observer mission for Morocco’s Nov. 25 parliamentary elections.

The leaders of the mission are Bob Rae of Canada, leader of the Liberal Party and former premier of Ontario; Kastriot Islami of Albania, former chairman of the Albanian parliament and former minister of foreign affairs; Sally Shelton-Colby of the U.S., former deputy secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Abdullah Al Derazi of Bahrain, secretary general of the Bahrain Human Rights Society; and Shari Bryan of the U.S., NDI vice president.

The purpose of the delegation is to provide an impartial assessment of the electoral process and to demonstrate the interest of the international community in the continued strengthening of democratic governance in Morocco. These elections are the kingdom’s first since popular protests demanding democratic reform led earlier this year to the adoption of a new constitution and revised laws governing political campaigns and elections.

Before they are deployed throughout the country, members of the delegation will meet in Rabat with representatives of major political parties; civic leaders; citizen observers, including from the Collective of Associations for the Observation of Elections; the National Human Rights Council, which is charged with coordinating observer accreditation; government officials, including election administrators; media; and representatives of the international community.

The mission builds on a pre-election assessment that NDI conducted in Morocco Oct. 20-25 that produced a report and recommendations to strengthen the electoral process. The Institute led the first independent international observation mission to Morocco during the 2007 elections and was the only international organization to observe. NDI has worked in Morocco since 1997.

The delegation will conduct its activities in a nonpartisan manner in accordance with Moroccan law and international standards for election monitoring set forth in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which is endorsed by 39 intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations and was launched at the United Nations in 2005. The mission builds on NDI’s 25 years of experience observing more than 200 elections around the world, including in Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen.

Related:

Read the press release in Arabic and French»
NDI Fields Pre-Election Assessment Mission for Morocco's Parliamentary Elections»
Read the report and recommendations NDI issued after its October pre-election assessment»

Published Nov. 19, 2011.

NDI Fields International Observers for Moroccan Parliamentary Elections

rrunyan — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:31:11 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/19/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English, French, Arabic

English

Arabic

French

Attachment	Size
Read the press release (English)	100.42 KB
Read the press release (Arabic)	319.82 KB
Read the press release (French)	349.43 KB

Young Moroccans Express Disappointment with Reforms, Political Parties

ntekeei — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:31:14 +0000

Earlier this year, Morocco saw an unprecedented rise in political engagement as young people, inspired by popular uprisings elsewhere in North Africa, rallied fellow citizens into the streets. Mass demonstrations against corruption, inequality and the monarchy’s hold on power pushed King Mohamed VI to call for revisions to Morocco’s constitution.

After Moroccans approved the revised constitution in a July 1 referendum, NDI organized 12 focus groups with young people, ages 18 to 25, in six urban and rural locations across Morocco. The focus groups sought to gauge youth attitudes on political, social and economic issues; their expectations for political reform and the new constitution; and their thoughts on the country’s future.

Young Moroccans in Fes. Photo by Andrew Farrand, program officer.

While some young Moroccans expressed optimism about the future, many described the recent reforms as superficial, saying they have yet to see tangible improvement in their everyday lives. Participants showed only minimal knowledge of political parties, their leaders and their ideologies. However, they did offer suggestions for ways parties could gain more trust: increase youth involvement, open regular communication between citizens and leaders, and build transparency within parties.

Expectations are high for political and economic gains, despite limited knowledge of the new constitution. One woman from Marrakech said, “I have no idea about the content of the new constitution, but I wish things like free medical care and health services were included within. … Briefly, I need something tangible.”

With the Nov. 25 legislative elections nearing, the report, Youth Perceptions in Morocco: Political Parties and Reform, outlines many of the challenges political leaders in Morocco face in trying to help young people to engage constructively in building their country’s new future.

Related:

Published Nov. 20, 2011

Youth Perceptions in Morocco: Political Parties and Reforms

ntekeei — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:07:07 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/20/2011

Resource Type:

Focus Group

Language:

Arabic, English

English

Arabic

Attachment	Size
Read the report (بالعربية)	314.74 KB
Read the report (English)	257.06 KB

4000 Observers Accredited | Nov. 8, 2011

fgalleto — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:55:02 +0000

Au Fait Maroc | Link to story »

La liste définitive des organisations nationales et internationales accréditées pour superviser les élections législatives du 25 novembre vient d'être arrêtée. Elle comprend au total 16 instances, qui vont mandater environ 4000 observateurs, a indiqué le Conseil national des droits de l'Homme (CNDH) sur son site Internet.

Concernant les organisations non gouvernementales internationales, la commission a accrédité l'Institut national démocratique (National democratic institute), le Réseau des élections dans le monde arabe, l'organisation “Gender Concerns international” et le groupe de recherche internationale des études sur les espaces émergents et transrégionaux (The International Research Group for Transregional & Emerging Area Studies).

Link to story »

Read more like this:

4000 observateurs représentant 16 instances accréditées pour les législatives du 25 novembre»

Statement of the International Pre-Election Assessment Delegation to Morocco's 2011 Legislative Elections

fgalleto — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:02:39 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/26/2011

Resource Type:

Statement

Language:

Arabic, English, French

English

Arabic

French

Attachment	Size
Read the statement (English)	167.44 KB
Read the statement (بالعربية)	402.83 KB
Read the statement (francais)	269.81 KB

NDI Fields Pre-Election Assessment Mission for Morocco's Parliamentary Elections

ntekeei — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:57:31 +0000

NDI announced on Oct. 20 the arrival of an international delegation to observe the pre-election environment in Morocco as voters register to vote in the country’s Nov. 25 parliamentary elections.

The parliamentary elections will be the first since unprecedented popular demonstrations and a historic constitutional revision earlier this year.

Left to right: England, Binda and Wang listen to youth activists in Fes.

NDI announced on Oct. 20 the arrival of an international delegation to observe the pre-election environment in Morocco as voters register to vote in the country’s Nov. 25 parliamentary elections.

Members of the multinational delegation are Francesca Binda, NDI resident senior director in the West Bank and Gaza (Canada); Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, member of parliament (Spain); Tova Andrea Wang, senior democracy fellow at Demos (USA); and Jeffrey England, NDI resident director in Morocco (USA).

The goals of the delegation are to express the international community’s interest in, and support for, democratic governance and competitive multiparty elections in Morocco, and to provide an impartial and accurate report on that process to Moroccans and the international community. The parliamentary elections will be the first since unprecedented popular demonstrations and a historic constitutional revision earlier this year.

The delegation will meet in Rabat with representatives of major political parties, officials of the Ministry of Interior, which is organizing the elections; the National Human Rights Council, which is charged with coordinating observer accreditation; government officials; civic leaders; citizen observers; media and representatives of the international community. Delegation members also will hold a series of meetings with local government representatives, activists and political leaders from around the country.

NDI also will field a team of 10 long-term observers in late October, followed by approximately 30 short-term observers who will deploy around the country to observe the voting on Nov. 25.

In 2007, NDI fielded pre-election and election day observer missions for Morocco’s parliamentary elections.

Update: Read the delegation's pre-election statement in English, French or Arabic»

Related:

Published Oct. 21, 2011. Updated Nov. 2, 2011.

NDI Fields Pre-Election Assessment Mission for Morocco's Parliamentary Elections

ntekeei — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

10/20/2011

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

Arabic, English, French

Attachment	Size
Read the release (بالعربية)	123.11 KB
Read the release (English)	81.71 KB
Read the release (français)	87.96 KB