المغرب الاقصى « ƆAL-MAĞRIB ƆAL-ƆAQSAJ »
— Locally: المغرب « ɔal-Mağrib ».
— Officially: المملكة المغربية « ɔal-Mamlakaḧ ɔal-Mağribīaḧ ».
— English: Morocco.
— Seat of government: الرباط « ɔal-Ribāt » / ارّباط « ɔa-R:bāt ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Hereditary autocracy with some elements of parliamentary democracy. The weak prime minister must come from the plurality party in the weak parliament, elected by party-list capped proportional representation.
— Head of government: محمد « Muham:ad » VI, ملك « malik », assisted by سعد الدين عثمانى « Sacad ɔal-Dīn Cuţmānī », prime minister.
— Chief parliamentary parties: حزب العدالة والتنمية « Hizb ɔal-Cadālaḧ ŭaɔl-Tanmīaḧ »; استقلال « Ɔistiqlāl »; التجمع الوطني للأحرار « ɔal-Taĝam:uc ɔal-Ŭatanī ɔal-Ɔahrār »; حزب الأصالة والحداثة « Hizb ɔal-Ɔasālaḧ ŭaɔl-Hadāţaḧ »; الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية « ɔal-Ɔit:ihād ɔal-Ɔištirākī lil-Qaŭāt ɔal-Šacbīaḧ »; الحركة الشعبية « ɔal-Harakaḧ ɔal-Šacbīaḧ »; الاتحاد الدستوري « ɔal-Ɔit:ihād ɔal-Dustūrī »; حزب التقدم والاشتراكية « Hizb ɔal-Taqadum ŭaɔl-Ɔištirākīaḧ ».
— Assessment: Previous monarch حسن « Hasan » II (1961-99) ruled absolutely and repressively; most of his reign constituted the “سنوات الرصاص” « “Sanaŭāt ɔal-Rusās” ». The succession of محمد « Muham:ad » in 1999 has accelerated the liberalization of the last years of his father’s rule, but the state remains a traditional monarchy, with most power in the hands of the ملك « malik ». Religious conservatives have made the most dramatic gains in recent elections for parliament.
— FH: 5-4, partly free (not democratic); 7-7, not free (for occupied الصحراء الغربية « ɔal-Sahrāɔ ɔal-Ğarbīaḧ »). Econ: 4.07 (115), hybrid.
— Updated: 2017 March 23.
O.T. FORD