As a Moroccan-Dutch citizen who has lived in a democratic society almost all my life, the king still having some say in government affairs and the power to appoint people for certain positions, is not that big of a deal to me, as I am also used to that (although to a much lesser extent) from the Dutch queen, who is just as inviolable in the Dutch constitution and is part the government as head of state:
"Since 1848, the Constitution has laid down that the monarch is inviolable. This means that the monarch is politically neutral and the ministers are accountable to Parliament for government policy. The ministers are also politically accountable for what the monarch says and does. As head of state, the monarch co-signs new Acts of Parliament. He/she also contributes to the formation of new governments, In addition, the monarch is President of the Council of State and every year delivers the Speech from the Throne at the opening of the parliamentary session."
What is a big deal to me however, are the phenomenal new set of human rights and civil liberties (among other things) that are now guaranteed in the Moroccan constitution and can truly lead to real democracy, if put to good use and followed through on.
Installing an overnight democracy could possibly destabilize the nation, so I personally prefer the separation of powers in gradual increments as society continues to evolve.
Let's face it, if we were to hold a new election in a few months, it's not like the current crop of politicians are going to magically disappear from the political scene and we'll have a brand new pool of capable, reform minded politicians to choose from, who would help pave the way towards real democracy. The Feb20 has provided plenty of opportunity and ample time for new alternative political leadership to present itself, but I have yet to see anyone stand out that I can look up to or even be somewhat confident that they'll do a good job. It's going to take a lot of hard work to get there.
As a resident of the United States, I can also tell you that "a government by the people for the people" is a far cry from reality, as I experience first hand how even the most democratically elected government generally does not act in concert with the will of the people once elected into office.
I have supported the Feb20 since day one in their demands for reform, and evidently so did the king or we wouldn't have that brand new constitution today, with many of their demands met. Although I did not support their voting boycott, I do believe it was good for the Feb20 movement itself because it showed consistency with their "no concessions" stance since the very beginning. Had they chosen otherwise, they would have looked like hypocrites and would have completely lost credibility in my view. I think both, the king and the Feb20 deserve a huge round of applause for this new constitution, regardless of their respective fundamental differences.
Despite the many imperfections of how this new constitution came to be, I can truly say that overall I'm proud of King Mohamed VI for his leadership and I'm proud of the Moroccan people on how they handled everything in the face of change and adversity.
This was the first time in my life that I voted in any political process.
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