Morocco Today

Politics

Following the fall of regimes in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen, and unrest in neighboring Algeria during the Arab Spring, the world’s gaze shifted nervously to Morocco. Widely regarded as the most moderate and stable of North African nations, the kingdom acted fast to appease dissenters. Although a cautious modernizer in the past, King Mohammed VI, who had already introduced some economic and social liberalization, revised the constitution and brought forward elections in 2011 in response to protests. His ability to calm his populace, many of whom remember the far fierier reign of his father, Hassan II, ensured the stability of his kingdom and won him the trust of Western nations. Encouraged by Mohammed VI’s popularity with his people, Washington granted Morocco the status of non-NATO ally. However, after the gruesome death of a fishmonger in late 2016, ongoing protests in the northern province of Rif have showed there is still a desire for better governance throughout Morocco, especially for the country's Berber minority.

Despite the close proximity of the kingdom to Europe, Morocco remains friendly with the continent, but staunchly independent. Long-term efforts by the UN have tried to end the political deadlock that continues in the Western Sahara, which Morocco seized after Mauritania and Spain withdrew in the 1970s, with little success.

Economy

Morocco is lucky to enjoy a vibrant and expanding tourist trade, and a good annual supply of exports in the form of handicrafts, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oils. The country is also investing in new industries in global value chains such as textiles, automobiles, and the aeronautical industries in order to diversify its economy. As with other African countries, the kingdom’s principal wealth comes from natural resources, with Morocco’s key raw material being phosphate (used in pesticides, animal feed, and fertilizers). Although a poor harvest dragged Moroccan GDP growth down to 1.1% in 2016, it is expected to bounce back to 3.8% soon. The country has found it difficult to tackle youth unemployment, which stood for 20% of total unemployment in 2016 and continues to cause concern, due to the vulnerability of the nation’s young men to radicalization. In a bid to disperse dissent, there has been a push in recent years to clear shantytowns in major cities and move squatters into specially constructed residences out of town.

Women’s Rights

In recent years, King Mohammed VI has had to balance the demands of feminist organizations, calling for an expansion of women’s rights, with resistance from the country’s Islamic political parties, who fiercely oppose change. In the beginning of the century, Morocco made sweeping reforms to its family-law code, the Moudawana, creating one of the most progressive family codes in the Arab world. The new Moudawana gave women significantly more rights and protections. They now have the right to request a divorce, the legal age of marriage has leapt from 15 to 18, and polygamy is now severely restricted. Women also now have the right to child support and shared custody. In 2011, the country passed a new constitution guaranteeing gender equality. That said, incongruities concerning women’s rights remain; generations of customary practices are hard to reverse and the application of the new laws is patchy, especially in more rural areas. To help with this transition, Morocco has introduced female Islamic preachers and guidance counselors called Morchidat, whose role is to help women and girls distinguish between customs, Islam, and the law in asserting their rights.

Religion

An estimated 99% of Moroccans are Muslim, with the king being able to trace his lineage to the Prophet Mohammed. The second most practiced religion is Christianity, which predates Islam; only a few Jewish Moroccans remain today, although they were a significant part of the population pre–World War II. Moroccans are, on the whole, tolerant of other people’s beliefs. As in most Islamic countries, a faith of any sort is easier to understand than no faith at all. Muslim prayers are said five times a day, with men tending to gather in mosques upon hearing the call to prayer. It is common to see men praying elsewhere, such as by the side of the road, in fields, or even corners of the office. Women tend to pray in the home and seldom stop work to pray in public throughout the day. It is considered highly impolite to interrupt a person who is praying and advisable not to cross in front of them. Fasting takes place during the holy month of Ramadan, which falls in the ninth month of the lunar cycle.

Despite a close regard for Islam, Moroccans tend to interpret its laws in a less conservative way than many Muslim countries. Travelers familiar with other Islamic nations, such as Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, may be surprised by the fact that modesty in women’s dress emphasizes covering the skin rather than disguising the female form. It is not uncommon to see young girls wearing skin-tight jeans with long-sleeve T-shirts and headscarves, rather than the voluminous coverings commonly seen in other Muslim regions. Female visitors find it useful to carry a long scarf or sarong to cover their shoulders or hair upon occasion. There are times when bare arms and low necklines attract unwelcome attention. Similarly, beachwear, shorts, and skirts above the knee are best restricted to the beach. Men are not expected to wear shorts in formal or mixed company and should never go bare-chested anywhere but the beach.

Music

Music is integral to daily and ritual life in Morocco, both for enjoyment and as social commentary. It emanates from homes, stores, markets, and public squares everywhere. In the Rif you hear men singing poetry accompanied by guitar and high-pitched women’s choruses; in Casablanca, rai (opinion) music, born of social protest, keeps young men company on the streets; cobblers in the Meknès medina may work to the sound of violin-based Andalusian classical music or the more folksy Arabic melhoum, or “sung poetry.” You know you’ve reached the south when you hear the banjo strum of Marrakesh's roving storytellers. Gnaoua music is best known for its use in trance rituals but has become a popular form of street entertainment; the performers’ brass qraqeb hand cymbals and cowrie-shell-adorned hats betray the music’s sub-Saharan origins. This rich culture of sound has been modernized in recent years with fusions of Western-influenced pop music and traditional Moroccan beats. Morocco’s music festivals are growing every year in size, quality, and recognition.