Morocco's monarchy reveals new constitution

MOROCCO'S King Mohammed VI last night announced a reformed constitution that will make officials more accountable and give the government greater powers but keep him as a key power-broker.

After facing the biggest anti-establishment protests in decades, King Mohammed in March ordered a hand-picked committee to consult with political parties, trade unions and civil society groups on constitutional reform with a brief to trim his powers and make the judiciary independent.

In the final draft of the reformed constitution, King Mohammed will keep exclusive control over military and religious fields. It also allows him to pick a prime minister from the party that wins elections.

The reformed constitution allows the king to delegate the task of chairing ministers' council meetings to the prime minister on a set agenda. Such meetings can decide on the appointments of provincial governors and ambassadors, a prerogative currently exclusive to the king.

He can still dissolve parliament but only after consulting a newly-introduced Constitutional Court, of which half the members are to be appointed by the king.

The move followed nationwide protests on 20 February in which hundreds of thousands marched for greater democracy in the nation of 32 million.

But pro-democracy activists are sceptical.

"I do believe the monarchy will not easily relinquish its powers," said Arezki Daoud, editor of the North Africa Journal.