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Government Of Morocco

The government of Morocco is carried out as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Under this form of government, the monarch performs governmental functions in accordance with the regulations of the Constitution. Officials here belong to a number of political parties and the Prime Minister acts as the Head of Government, rather than the monarch. The Constitution of Morocco sets forth a separation of governmental powers by establishing 3 branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. This article takes a closer look at each.

Executive Branch Of The Government Of Morocco

The executive branch is made up of the Monarch, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet of Ministers.

Morocco is currently under the Alaouite Dynasty and each King since 1666 has belonged to the Alaouite family. The person in this position serves as a secular leader as well as the Leader of the Faithful, a title often used by Muslim rulers to indicate direct relation to the Prophet Mohammed. As a political official, the King oversees the Cabinet of Ministers and is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister. The Monarch of Morocco has the additional responsibility of Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

The Prime Minister of Morocco acts as the Head of Government and manages the work of the Cabinet Ministers. The person in this position is also responsible for recommending Ministers, who are then approved and appointed by the King. Some of the ministries that make up the executive branch include: Health, Industry, Culture and Communication, Employment, Economy and Finance, and Habous and Islamic Affairs.

Legislative Branch Of The Government Of Morocco

The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Parliament, which is divided into the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives.

The House of Councillors is the upper house of Parliament. It is made up of 120 seats, who are elected to serve a term of 6 years. Election of these members takes place in the following manner: 72 are elected by by regional governments to represent subnational administrative interests; 20 are elected by leaders of regional agriculture, commerce, industries and services, arts and crafts, and fisheries; 20 are elected by an electoral college made up of employees, and 8 are elected by leaders of professional organizations of employers.

The House of Representatives is the lower house of Parliament. It is made up of 395 members, who are elected to serve 5-year terms. Of these members, 315 are elected to represent multi-seat constituencies and 80 are elected from two national lists to represent the interests of gender and youth equality.

Judicial Branch Of The Government Of Morocco

The judicial branch is independent of the executive and legislative branches. It consists of a hierarchy of courts, including: communal and district courts, administrative tribunals, first instance courts, courts of appeals, the Supreme Court, the Special Court of Justice, the High Court, trade courts, and the Standing Tribunal of the Royal Armed Forces.

The Supreme Court serves as the highest court of appeals in the country and hears cases that were previously decided on by the courts of appeals. It is divided into 6 areas to oversee cases involving the following issues: civil, family, commercial, administrative, social, and criminal.