Morocco: Can the Third Way Succeed? Carnegie Foundation

The King's bold moves spared Morocco the turmoil which has afflicted Tunisia andf Egypt. Marina Ottoway senior associated of the Carnegie Foundation's Middle East Program asks whether whether Moroccan citizens believe that a significant process of reform is actually taking place that would allow this stability to continue, or whether they think reform has stalled. She contends that despite the constitutional changes real power remains with the King and that the only organisation which in her opinion offers a real possibility of applying pressure on the monarchy, al-Adl wal-Ihsan remains outside parliament and uninterested in politics at least for the time being.

The PJD has called the Moroccan response to the Arab Spring the “third way.”  It believes that Morocco has chosen an alternate path based on a genuine partnership between the King and the PJD that promises to bring about more far-reaching reform without the disruption seen in other countries.The article asks whether the powerful  King and his experienced royal entourage and the PJD with its inexperienced ministers and popular support is really an equal partnership which can accomplish further reforms. It refers to the government of alternance under Abderrahmane Yousoufi and the USFP brought in by King Hassan II in 1998 which it says removed the USFP from the opposition without allowing it to exercise real power. It says that unless the PJD shows more strength and ability it could share the same fate as the USFP and that the third way is an unequal
partnership because real power remains with the King.

It remains for the PJD to strengthen its role as the  leading party in government. The PJD is putting great emphasis on two issues: the implementation of the constitution; and the fight for good governance and against corruption.There is a potential for the cabinet and Parliament to shape policy and tackle reforms head on, the article says and points out that there are no extra parliamentary groups including al Wadl wal-Ihsan and the 20th February Movement that able to mount an effective opposition. However the article concludes, the "Third Way" may be challenged by Moroccans who want deeper and swifter change.