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| Council of Ministers (Morocco) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Council of Ministers (Morocco) |
| Native name | Conseil des ministres |
| Formation | 1956 |
| Jurisdiction | Morocco |
| Headquarters | Rabat |
| Leader title | Prime Minister |
| Leader name | Aziz Akhannouch |
Council of Ministers (Morocco) is the principal executive cabinet body convened to adopt national decrees and coordinate policy across Moroccan ministries and agencies. It meets under the authority of the King of Morocco and interfaces with institutions such as the Prime Minister of Morocco, the Parliament of Morocco, the Supreme Court of Morocco, and the Ministry of the Interior (Morocco), shaping decisions on domestic policy, international relations, and constitutional matters.
The origins trace to the post‑independence reorganization after the Treaty of Fez era and the 1956 independence negotiations involving Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco and figures from the Istiqlal Party. Early councils reflected coalitions including the Party of National Unity and later transformations under leaders such as Abdellatif Filali, Abbas El Fassi, and Abdelilah Benkirane. Constitutional revisions in 1962 Moroccan constitution, the 1992 constitutional reform, and the landmark 2011 Moroccan constitutional referendum redefined executive roles amid pressures from movements like February 20 Movement and influences from regional events such as the Arab Spring. The Council evolved alongside institutions including the Royal Cabinet of Morocco and reforms driven by agreements like the Accord of Fes and policy frameworks shaped by participation in organizations such as the African Union and United Nations.
Membership comprises the Prime Minister of Morocco as chair in practice, cabinet ministers from portfolios such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Morocco), the Ministry of Finance (Morocco), the Ministry of Justice (Morocco), and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Environment (Morocco), and secretaries of state when appointed. The King appoints ministers on the proposal of parties represented in the House of Representatives (Morocco) and in consultation with the House of Councillors (Morocco), reflecting party politics involving entities like the National Rally of Independents, the Istiqlal Party, the Justice and Development Party (Morocco), and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces. Senior civil servants from the General Secretariat of the Government and advisors from the Royal Institute of the Amazigh Culture may attend ex officio, while agencies including the Central Bank of Morocco and the Court of Accounts (Morocco) interact with the Council though not as members.
The Council issues royal decrees, approves legislative drafts for submission to the Parliament of Morocco, and sets strategic policy in areas such as foreign relations with partners like the European Union, United States, and Morocco–Spain relations. It coordinates security policy with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies such as the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance and oversees economic initiatives linked to projects like the Morocco Solar Program and the Tangier Med port complex. The Council also formulates appointment proposals to institutions including the Constitutional Court of Morocco and the High Council of the Judicial Power and can enact emergency measures in the context of crises involving the Western Sahara conflict or public health incidents engaging the Ministry of Health (Morocco).
The Council operates under the prerogatives of the King of Morocco as enshrined in the Moroccan Constitution of 2011, interacting with royal prerogatives exercised through bodies like the Royal Armed Forces, the Royal Security Forces, and the Royal Cabinet of Morocco. The King presides over major councils, countersigns certain royal decrees, and appoints the Prime Minister of Morocco and other ministers, creating a dynamic with representative institutions such as the Parliament of Morocco and the Constitutional Court of Morocco. This relationship reflects historical practices seen during the reigns of Hassan II of Morocco and Mohammed VI and interfaces with international diplomacy through embassies like the Embassy of Morocco in Washington, D.C. and multilateral work with the Arab League.
Meetings are customarily chaired by the Prime Minister of Morocco or convened by the King of Morocco in extraordinary sessions; agendas are prepared by the General Secretariat of the Government and involve briefings from ministries such as the Ministry of Interior (Morocco), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Morocco), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Morocco). Decisions follow deliberation among ministers representing parties including the Istiqlal Party and the National Rally of Independents, with royal decrees requiring signatures from the King of Morocco and countersignature protocols reminiscent of other constitutional monarchies like Spain and Belgium. Extraordinary councils have convened in contexts like security operations against groups related to incidents in Casablanca and policy responses to regional summits such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Notable councils include sessions that authorized constitutional reforms post‑2011, economic liberalization packages tied to projects such as the Tangier Tech initiatives, security measures during the Casablanca bombings (2003), and strategic foreign policy moves regarding the Morocco–United States relations normalization efforts affecting the Western Sahara conflict. Councils under prime ministers like Abdelilah Benkirane, Saadeddine Othmani, and Aziz Akhannouch adopted landmark budgets, privatization plans involving state enterprises such as those linked to Office Chérifien des Phosphates and infrastructure investments in the Al Boraq high‑speed rail project.
The Council’s legal basis is found in the Constitution of Morocco (notably the 2011 revision), statutes governing ministerial responsibilities, and instruments issued by the General Secretariat of the Government. Its authority intersects with laws administered by the Ministry of Justice (Morocco), jurisprudence from the Supreme Court of Morocco, and constitutional oversight by the Constitutional Court of Morocco. Administrative procedures align with codes influenced by French administrative law traditions evident in institutions like the Council of State (France) and are shaped by treaties to which Morocco is party, including agreements with the European Union and multilateral accords under the United Nations.