country report morocco -...

22
Country Report Morocco Mehdi Lahlou and Mounir Zouiten November 2019 http://grease.eui.eu This Country Report offers a detailed assessment of religious diversity and violent religious radicalisation in the above-named state. Published by the GREASE project, this report is part a series covering 23 countries on four continents. Each report in the series has a corresponding Country Profile (issued separately) offering more basic information about religious affiliation and state-religion relations in the given country. Both the reports and profiles are available on the GREASE project website. Countries covered in this series: Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Morocco, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The GREASE project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 770640

Upload: others

Post on 27-Sep-2020

2 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

CountryReport

Morocco

MehdiLahlouandMounirZouiten

November2019

http://grease.eui.eu

This Country Report offers a detailed assessment of religious diversity and violentreligiousradicalisationintheabove-namedstate.PublishedbytheGREASEproject,thisreportispartaseriescovering23countriesonfourcontinents.EachreportintheserieshasacorrespondingCountryProfile(issuedseparately)offeringmorebasicinformationaboutreligiousaffiliationandstate-religionrelationsinthegivencountry.BoththereportsandprofilesareavailableontheGREASEprojectwebsite.Countriescoveredinthisseries:Albania,Australia,Belgium,BosniaandHerzegovina,Bulgaria,Egypt,France,Germany,Greece, Italy,Hungary, India, Indonesia, Lebanon,Lithuania,Malaysia,Morocco,Russia,Slovakia,Spain,Tunisia,TurkeyandtheUnitedKingdom.

TheGREASEprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion'sHorizon2020researchandinnovationprogrammeundergrantagreementnumber770640

Page 2: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

2

WhatistheGREASEproject?Involving researchers from Europe, North Africa, theMiddle East, Asia and Oceania,GREASEisinvestigatinghowreligiousdiversityisgovernedin23countries.Ourworkfocusesoncomparingnorms,lawsandpracticesthatmay(ormaynot)proveusefulinpreventing religious radicalisation. Our research also sheds light on how differentsocietiescopewiththechallengeofintegratingreligiousminoritiesandmigrants.Theaim is to deepen our understanding of how religious diversity can be governedsuccessfully,withanemphasisoncounteringradicalisationtrends.Whileexploringreligiousgovernancemodelsinotherpartsoftheworld,GREASEalsoattemptstounravel theEuropeanparadoxofreligiousradicalisationdespitegrowingsecularisation. We consider the claim that migrant integration in Europe has failedbecausesecondgenerationyouthhavebecomemarginalisedandradicalised,withsometurning to jihadist terrorism networks. The researchers aim to deliver innovativeacademic thinking on secularisation and radicalisation while offering insights forgovernanceofreligiousdiversity.TheprojectisbeingcoordinatedbyProfessorAnnaTriandafyllidoufromTheEuropeanUniversityInstitute(EUI)inItaly.OtherconsortiummembersincludeProfessorTariqModood fromTheUniversityofBristol (UK);Dr.H.A.Hellyer from theRoyalUnitedServices Institute (RUSI) (UK); Dr.MilaMancheva from The Centre for the Study ofDemocracy (Bulgaria); Dr. Egdunas Racius from Vytautas Magnus University(Lithuania); Mr. Terry Martin from the research communications agency SPIA(Germany);ProfessorMehdiLahloufromMohammedVUniversityofRabat(Morocco);Professor Haldun Gulalp of The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation(Turkey); Professor PradanaBoy ofUniversitasMuhammadiyahMalang (Indonesia);Professor Zawawi Ibrahim of The Strategic Information and Research DevelopmentCentre (Malaysia); Professor Gurpreet Mahajan of Jawaharlal Nehru University(India);andProfessorMicheleGrossmanofDeakinUniversity(Melbourne,Australia).GREASEisscheduledforcompletionin2022.ForfurtherinformationabouttheGREASEprojectpleasecontact:ProfessorAnnaTriandafyllidou,[email protected]

http://grease.eui.eu/GREASE-Radicalisation,SecularismandtheGovernanceofReligion:BringingTogetherEuropeanandAsianPerspectives

Page 3: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

3

Contents

RELIGIOUSGOVERNANCEINMOROCCO:DEMOGRAPHICANDSOCIO-ECONOMICCONTEXT,

RADICALISATIONCHALLENGESANDTHEROLEOFTHEKING/STATE......................................................5

1. INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................52. DEMOGRAPHICANDSOCIO-ECONOMICBACKGROUND,APOTENTIALBASEFORRADICALIZATION......73. HISTORICALBACKGROUNDOFSTATE-ORGANISEDRELIGIONRELATIONSANDCURRENTINSTITUTIONALSTRUCTUREFORGOVERNINGRELIGIONANDRELIGIOUSDIVERSITY:CENTRALROLEOFTHEKING.........................................................................................................................................................114. VIOLENTRELIGIOUSRADICALISATIONCHALLENGES.............................................................................15MOROCCOHASSEEN,SINCETHEENDOFTHE1970SANDTHEBEGINNINGOFTHE1980S,ARISEOFCONSERVATISMANDAPROCESSOFRADICALIZATIONOFAPART,MOREANDMOREVISIBLE,OFITS(YOUNG)POPULATIONINCONNECTIONWITHASETOFINTERNATIONALEVENTS,ANDINPARALLELWITHDOMESTICECONOMIC,SOCIALANDPOLITICALDEVELOPMENTS(ASPARTIALLYSTATEDABOVE).........................................15AMONGTHEEXTERNALEVENTS,ITISPOSSIBLETOMENTIONALLTHOSEFORWHOMMOROCCANS,ASARABSANDMUSLIMS,HAVEAVERYSTRONGSENSITIVITY.....................................................................................................15INTHISREGARD,ONESHOULDMENTIONTHEWARSOFAFGHANISTAN,FROMTHE1970SANDSTILLONGOING.THEWARINAFGHANISTANAGAINSTTHEFORMERUNIONOFSOVIETSOCIALISTREPUBLICSWASINITIALLYSEENASAWARBETWEENISLAMANDCOMMUNISM.FROM2001,ANDTHEAMERICANINTERVENTIONINTHATSAMECOUNTRY,THEAFGHANWARSSTARTEDTOBESEENASACONFRONTATIONBETWEENTHEWEST,REPRESENTEDBYTHEUSA,ANDISLAM........................................................................................................................15ANOTHERRELEVANTEVENTWASTHEBOSNIANWAR,WHICHBEGANIN1992ANDLASTEDUNTIL1995,ANDLEDTOTHEDEATHSOFAROUND100,000CIVILIANSANDSOLDIERS,AMONGWHICHATLEAST25,000BOSNIANMUSLIMS.WITHINTHISWAR,THEMASSACREINSREBRENICA(11/16JULY1995)ANDITS8,372DEAD,ALLBOSNIANCIVILIANS,HADANIMMENSEIMPACTINTHEARAB-MUSLIMWORLD,INCLUDINGMOROCCO.............................................................................................................................................................................15TOTHEEFFECTSOFTHESEWARS,ONEMUSTADDTHECONSEQUENCESONTHEARAB(ANDMUSLIM)PUBLICOPINIONOFTHEINTIFADASOF1987AND2000INTHEOCCUPIEDPALESTINIANTERRITORIES,OFTHEWARSINIRAQ(FROM2003)ANDINSYRIA(FROM2011)..................................................................................................15THESEEXTERNALEVENTSWEREAMPLIFIEDINSIDEMOROCCO(ASINSEVERALARAB-MUSLIMCOUNTRIES)BYTHECONJUNCTIONOFSOCIO-ECONOMICANDPOLITICALELEMENTS,MAKINGALARGEPARTOFTHEPOPULATION,ANDESPECIALLYYOUNGPEOPLE,MORESENSITIVETOTHEARGUMENTSOFTHESUPPORTERSOF“POLITICALISLAM”,FORWHOMALLTHATTHEMUSLIMSSUFFERINGLIESINTHEIRDISTANCEFROMTHE“TRUEVALUESOFISLAM”ANDINTHEHATREDOFWESTERNERSTOWARDSTHEM.AMONGTHOSEELEMENTS,ITISPOSSIBLETOSTRESSSOMEWHICHAREOFECONOMICANDSOCIALNATURESUCHASWIDESPREADPOVERTYANDAGREATIMBALANCEINTHEDISTRIBUTIONOFNATIONALWEALTH,YOUTHUNEMPLOYMENT,AHIGHLEVELOFILLITERACYANDAGREATWEAKNESSOFTHEHEALTHSYSTEM.OTHERSAREOFQUALITATIVE,INTANGIBLE,CULTURALANDPOLITICALNATURE,SUCHASTHESCHOOLFAILUREORTHEPROGRESSIVEWEAKENINGOF“TRADITIONAL”POLITICALPARTIES,INCLUDINGLEFT-WINGPARTIES.......................................15ALLTHISLEDFIRST-DURINGTHE1980SAND1990S-TOTHESTRENGTHENINGOFRADICALISLAMISTCURRENTS,UNDERTHEINFLUENCEOFTRENDSRELATEDTOSAUDI“WAHHABISM”ORTOTHEMUSLIMBROTHERS“BROTHERHOOD”...........................................................................................................................................15AFTERTHAT,YOUNGMOROCCANSWILLBEINVOLVEDINORWILLCOMMITVARIOUSTERRORISTACTIONSINEUROPEANDINMOROCCO,ANDHUNDREDSWILLJOINTHEWARFIELDSINTHEMIDDLEEAST,STARTINGFROM2011.........................................................................................................................................................................15

Page 4: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

4

INEUROPE,MOROCCANS(MIGRANTSORCHILDRENOFMIGRANTS)WEREINVOLVEDINTHETRAINATTACKSINMADRID(11MARCH,2004),WHERETHEBLASTSKILLED191PEOPLEANDWOUNDED1,841,ORINTHEPARISATTACKS(13NOVEMBER,2015)THATKILLED130PEOPLEANDWOUNDEDHUNDREDSMORE,ASWELLASINTHEBRUSSELSAIRPORTANDMETROATTACKS(22APRIL,2016),WHEN32PEOPLEWEREKILLEDANDMANYMOREINJURED,ANDALSOINTHEBARCELONAANDCAMBRILSATTACKS(17/18AUGUST,2017),WHEREADRIVER,WITHINAGROUPOF12JIHADISTS,KILLED16PEOPLEANDINJUREDMORETHAN100.......................................................................................................................................................................................16ASFORTHETERRORISTATTACKSONTHEMOROCCANSOILITSELF,THECHRONOLOGYBELOWINDICATESANACCELERATIONOFTHERADICALISATIONSINCE2003.DURINGTHISYEAR,INPARTICULAR,MOROCCOEXPERIENCEDITSMOSTSERIOUSTERRORISTATTACKS,WHENFIVESIMULTANEOUSTERRORISTSUICIDEBOMBINGSHITTOURISTANDRELIGIOUSSITESINCASABLANCA...............................................................................16BEFORETHATDATE,HOWEVER,AFIRSTATTACK-CONDUCTEDBYFRENCHNATIONALSOFALGERIANORIGIN–TOOKPLACEDURINGTHESUMMEROF1994,TOTALLYALTERINGTHEPOLITICALRELATIONSBETWEENMOROCCOANDALGERIA...................................................................................................................................................16CHRONOLOGYOFATTACKSCLAIMEDBYRADICALISLAMISTSINMOROCCOSINCE1994....................................165. POLICIESANDPRACTICESADDRESSINGRADICALISATION....................................................................17THEPUBLICRELIGIOUSEDUCATION...............................................................................................................................17THEMINISTRYOFHABOUSANDISLAMICAFFAIRS......................................................................................................186. SOMECONCLUDINGREMARKS................................................................................................................19REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................................21

Page 5: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

5

ReligiousgovernanceinMorocco:Demographicandsocio-economiccontext,radicalisationchallengesandtheroleof

theKing/state

1. Introduction

Morocco is a country situated in the North-West of Africa, 14 km far from Spain,comprisedofabout36millionpeople.TheMoroccanpopulationispresentedasalmosttotally Muslim. 99% of Morocco’s inhabitants are considered to be Muslim. Such alabelingis,however,onlystatistical.Inreality,thecensusdoesnotprovideanyquestionaboutthereligionoftheintervieweesorwhethertheyarepracticingornot.Also,anysurveyhasneverbeenleadedinMoroccoconcerningsuchasubject, i.e.whatarethepartsofMuslims,nonMuslims,practicing,nonpracticing,andsoforth.

Moroccohasknownduringitsrecenthistory–especiallysincetheseventiesofthelastcentury-twopredominantdevelopments,oneofwhichmakesitsimilartotherestoftheMENAregion,fromAlgeriatoIraq,passingbyTunisia,Libya,EgyptorJordan,whiletheotheristhatitrepresentsasortofexceptionwithintheArabworld.

Whenitcomestothissecondpoint,Moroccoisgenerallyconsidered,amongtheArabworld, as a democracy, with a “multi-party system”, local and national elections, aparliament functioning formallysince thebeginningof thesixtiesof the last century,evenifithasanyimportantpower.

ThefactisthattherealpowersinthecountryareheldbytheKing,whoisnotsubjecttoelection,isnotpoliticallyresponsible,soevenheistheChiefCommanderoftheArmy,theHead of theMinisters council, the head of the Justice Authority and the head ofNationalsecurityCouncil,etc.

Anothermanifestationofthis“Moroccanexception”isillustratedbytheformandtheconsequencesofthesocalledArabspringwhichwereinitiatedandleadedinMorocco,atthebeginningof2011,bythe“20February”movement.

Thismovement-supportedbytheradicalsocialistoppositionparties(representedbyallthesocialistmovementsexcepttheUSFP-Unionsocialistedesforcespopulaires)andbymanyHumanrightsassociationsasbysomeassociationsofnonemployedpersons-leaded a series of important protests in almost 150 cities, especially in the mostimportantoneslikeRabat,thecapital,Casablanca,Fès,orTangiers.

Page 6: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

6

Themaindemandsoftheprotesterswere,asintheotherArabcountries:

- Thereformofthestate;

- Thefightagainstcorruption;

- Theindependenceofthejusticesystem;

- Theseparationattheheadofthestatebetweenpoliticsandaffairsandbetweenpoliticsandreligion,i.e.theconstitutionofaCivilState;

- ThereductionofthesocialgapwithinMoroccanpopulation/lesssocialinjustice;

- Theevictionofsomeregimesymbolsrepresentedbysomefriendsof theKingandotherpersonsveryclosetohim.

But,contrarytowhathappedinTunisia—wherethedemonstratorsinthestreetshouted“BenAlidégage”(BenAligoaway)—,ortoEgypt—wheretheprotestersdidthesamewithformerPresidentHoussniMoubarak—thestreetsdidn'tresonateinMoroccowithsimilar slogans such as “le roi dégage” (Mohamed VI go away). Demonstrators onlyexpressedthewill/hopefordeepreforms,formorejustice,morejobs,moredignity,lesscorruption,lessinequalitybetweenmenandwomen,andsoon.Inthisregard,wecanobserveoneofthemostimportantdifferencesvis-à-visoftheprotestsintherestofArabcountrieswheretherevolutionstarted.

Anotherdifference,concerningIslamistmovements,includingtheradicalsamongthem,liesinthedeepnatureoftheMoroccanpoliticsystem.

TheMonarchyisveryoldinMorocco,beingfoundedonasenseofhistoricallegitimacy.Itisalsofoundedonastrongreligiousrespectvis-à-visoftheking/sultan/roi.TheKingis“AmirAlMouminin”andforapartofthepopulation,heisthe“RepresentativeofGodonearth”.

Thesetwoconsiderationsmakeitpossiblethatthemediumclassdidn’tcontributetotheprotestsandalsothatapartoftheIslamistmovements,notonlydidn’twalkwiththeprotesters,butdidsupporttheKingandcondemntheprotests.It'sparticularlythecaseofthePJD(ThePartyforJusticeandDevelopment,thebrotheroftheTunisianmovement,Ennahda)whichisrollingtheGovernmentinRabatsincethebeginningof2012.Italsothecaseofthe“Boutchichi”association,averystrongSoufiorganizationbasedintheEasternpartofMorocco,whichorganizedagreatstreetdemonstrationcallingtovotefortheConstitutionalreformasproposedbytheKingonJune2011.

At that stage, when radical movements are taken into account, their opposition isdirectedmore towards “Socialdeviations”and impious foreignpowers/governmentsthantowardstheMonarchicsystemandtheKing,asthatmostofthesemovementsareconsideringthelatterthe“ProtectorofIslam”.

Page 7: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

7

2. Demographicandsocio-economicbackground,apotentialbaseforradicalization

ThenumberofMoroccanswasmultipliedbyalmost3timesbetween1961and20191,asshowninthetablebelow,passingfrom11.89millionto35.67millionin58years.

Figure 1: Evolution of the Moroccan Legal population by area of residence (1960-2019)

Source: Haut Commissariat au Plan, Rabat, Morocco: https://www.hcp.ma/Population-du-Maroc-par-annee-civile-en-milliers-et-au-milieu-de-l-

annee-par-milieu-de-residence-1960-2050_a677.html

The birth rate, after peaking at over 2.7% between 1969 and 1972, has started to decline since then. It reaches today the rate of 1.25%, one of the lowest in Africa. However, if the growth rate of the population as a whole has been reduced, that which relates to the urban population has strongly increased leading to the multiplication by 6.32 times of the latter's number, as shown in the table 1 below and the figure hereafter.

1 The data for 1961 and 2014 are from a back projection on the basis of the results of the general census of population and housing of 1961, 1971, 1982, 1994, 2004 and 2014. From 2014, it is the updating of population projections based on the results of the Census 2014.

Year

Total

Urban

Rural

Urbanpopulation/Total%

1961 11.897 3.547 8.350 29.81

1971 15.379 5.409 9.969 35.17

1982 20.419 8.730 11.689 42.75

1994 26.073 13.407 12.665 51.42

2004 29.891 16.463 13.428 55.07

2014 33.848 20.432 13.415 60.36

2019 35.675° 22.439 13.236 62.9

Page 8: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

8

Figure2:TheEvolutionofUrbanandRuralpopulation(1980–2018)

This means, in particular, that the main important issues such as housing,unemployment,securityormigratorypressurewouldnowbeconcentratedinthecities.Onanotherside,Moroccoisademographicallyyoungcountrywith27%ofitspopulationundertheageof15and18%betweentheagesof15and24,42%between25and54years,7%betweentheagesof55and64andjust6%65yearsandolder.ThemedianageofMoroccansisjust29yearsoldasof2018,withalifeexpectancyofabout75yearsofage.

---------Totalpopulation---------Urbanpoppulation---------RuralpopulationSource:HautCommissariatauPlan,Rabat,Morocco.www.hcp.ma

Page 9: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

9

Figure3:TheEvolutionofUrbanandRuralpopulation(1980–2018)

Morroco–2019.Population:35.67million.Source:www.hcp.maInaddition to the35.67millionMoroccans listed in the tableabove,nearly5millionMoroccansarelivingabroadtoday,includingnearlytwothirdsinEurope.

When itcomestothe foreigners livingregularly inMorocco, in2014,yearof the lastgeneral census in the country, they were 84,000 foreign residents of whom 33,615Europeans, including 21,344 persons from France and 22,545 sub-Saharan Africans.Beside thispopulation, in late2013,Moroccanauthorities estimated that thereweremorethan45,000irregularimmigrantslivinginMoroccoimmediatelypriortothestartofan“ExceptionalRegularizationProcess”,whichwasconductedintheframeworkofaNewMigrationPolicydecidedonthesamedatebytheMoroccanauthorities(M.Lahlou,2018).

Thereisnocensus,andtherehaveneverbeenanyfieldsurveysinMoroccoonethnicorreligiousbackground.However,themostcommonlyheldestimatessuggestthatAbout99%ofMoroccansaresupposed tobe ‘’SunniMuslims’’ religiouslyorculturally.ThenumbersoftheJewishminorityhavedecreasedsignificantlysincethecreationoftheStateofIsraelinPalestine,in1948.Todaythereareabout3,000MoroccanJewsinsidethecountry.Thereisasmall,butapparently,growingminorityofMoroccanChristians

Page 10: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

10

made of local Moroccan converts. There is a small community of “Shiaa” MuslimconvertsandBahaïs,butofunknownnumbers.

AmongthemajorchallengesposedbythestructureoftheMoroccanpopulation,thatistosaymainlyitsyouth,thereisunemployment,inadditiontothelowlevelofnationalincomeandthehighlevelofilliteracyamongadults.

Concerningtheselastelements,theavailableSocio-EconomicdatashowthatMorocco,anditspopulation,canbeconsideredinasituationofrelativepoverty,includingwithintheArabworld.

Indeed,withatotalGrossDomesticProduct(GDP)of103.61billionUS$(estimate2018),theincomepercapitaequals2,832USdollars.

ConsideringtheIndexofhumandevelopment(IDH),Moroccohasbeenranked123rdintheUNDP2018reportamong189countries,downfrom122in2016.Thus,Moroccoisranked“medium”inhumandevelopmentgroupwithanHDIof0.667outof1(0.598forwomenand0.713formen)afterEgypt(ranked115),Palestine(ranked119),andIraq(ranked120).Also,afterAlgeria,ranked85thwith“high”levelsofhumandevelopmentwithanHDIof0.754,Lebanon(80);Tunisia(95);Jordan(95);and,despiteitsconflict,afterLibya(105)alsoranked“high.”

This ranking also takes into account the fact that the rate of illiteracy in Moroccocontinuestobehigh,sinceitstillreachesnearly32%oftheadultpopulation,oneofthehighestratesintheArabworld.

When it comes to the situation on the labour market in Morocco, the highestunemploymentratesarestill thelotofyoungpeople,womenandgraduates, livinginurbanareas,accordingtotheHighPlanningCommission.

Thus,unemploymentratereached26.5%in2017amongyoungpeopleaged15to24(seefigure3below)and43.2%amongurbandwellersofthesameagegroup.

Unemploymentaffectswomenmorethanmen,withprevalenceof14%and8.4%.Thisfindingismorenoticeableinurbanareaswheretheunemploymentratereached24.3%forwomenagainst11.4%amongmen.

Theunemploymentrateincreaseswiththelevelofqualification.Ithappens,and3.4%amongthosewithnoqualificationsto17.2%forgraduates.Itis14%formiddleschoolgraduatesand23%forthosewithahigherdegree.

It remains relatively higher amongst certain categories of graduates includingparticularly the holders of advanced degrees awarded by the faculties (25.9%),certificates forprofessional specialization (24.2%), technicians, diplomas andmiddlemanagers(23%)andprofessionalqualificationcertificates(21.4%).

Page 11: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

11

Figure4:Theevolutionofun-employmentratesamongdifferentcategoriesog

Moroccanpopulation

Alltheelementsmentionedabove-whichwillbedevelopedlater,inparticulartakingintoaccountsocialandspatialinequalitiesinthedistributionofincomeandaccesstobasicsocialservices -objectivelyconstituteabasis forreligiousradicalization, in theabsenceofothermodesofpoliticalexpressionaimedatimprovingtheaccessoftheleastwell-offsocialcategoriestoabetterstandardofliving.

3. Historicalbackgroundofstate-organisedreligionrelationsandcurrentinstitutionalstructureforgoverningreligionandreligiousdiversity:CentralroleoftheKing

Anyanalysisofthepolitico-religiousfieldinMorocco,andinparticularoftherelativelylateemergenceofIslamistplayersintheMoroccanpoliticalandsocialspheremusttakeintoaccounttheimportanceofthelongterm.

WeareindeedtacklingaphenomenontakingplaceinacountrythathasbeenruledsincethesixteenthcenturybyadynastyclaimingtobeadescendantoftheProphet,andwhoseexistenceisbasedonanarbitralreligiouspowerbetweenthedifferentcomponentsoftheMoroccansociety.

Thisdynastywasat theoriginof certain “modernization”attempts in thenineteenthcentury, and in 1912 it accepted the French protectorate under the pressure of thecolonial systemand thenused this new situation to establish its legitimacyover theentireterritory(astheSultan's/King’sauthoritywasexertedonlypartiallythroughouttheterritory).Thelegacyofthispastconsistsofacertainformofreligiouslegitimacy,towhichwasaddedanewformoflegitimacyduetothecommitmentofthemonarchyalongsidethenationalists.

MoroccanIslamisofficiallySunni,buthistoricalIslamisacomplexanddiversereligion,andhasthecapacitytoadapttosocialdemandandparticularcontextofthecountry.

26,5

15,4

5,12,5

0

5

10

15

20

25

301999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

15-24

25-34

35-44

45etplus

Linear(15-24)

Page 12: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

12

Sinceitsindependencein1956,MoroccohasmadethechoicetobuilditsownreferenceofanationalizedandterritorializedIslam.Thisideologicalconstruction,reinforcedbytheveryearlyreligiouspublicpolicy,refersto“Malikism”(linkedtoImamMalik)astheuniquerite,unlikeotherArab-Muslimcountrieswheremanyritescoexist.

ThechoiceoftheMalikiteriteisnotanewlymadechoice,itisbasedonalonghistoricalmaturationthatresultedfromthecombinationoftheknow-howofAndalusianclericssettled after the Reconquista and the Amazigh (Berber) puritanism known to bepragmaticandrigorist.

As a result, the currentpolitical approach insistingon adopting anationalproject of“MoroccanIslam”basedon“Malikism”toprotectitfrominternationalSalafismdoesnotcomefromnowhere.

Itisbasedonthreehistoricalreasons:

- TheMoroccan dynasty has been in power for 12 centuries since it started by adescendant of theProphetwho came from theLevant at the request of localBerbertribes;

- The unique situation of Morocco as the only Muslim country not to have beenconqueredbytheOttomanempire;

- Early relations with Europe thanks to its geographical and historical proximitywhichhadalastingimpactontheMoroccanculturalsubstratumandconstituteakeyelementofthisMoroccan“exception”.

Another characteristic that defines the nature of the Moroccan monarchy and itsreligious legitimacy is that itholdsbothaDynasticandaReligious legitimacy,whichcorrespondstowhattheGerman-bornAmericanhistorianErnestKantorowiczcallsthetheoryof"Thetwobodiesoftheking"(E.Kantorowicz,2016).

These two bodies combine the human, the divine and the Caliph at the same time.Therefore, theMonarchwill not only be "chosen" by the grace of his own personalvirtues,butalsobecauseheisamemberofasacredpropheticfiliationthatmakeshimdifferentfromtheothers.

Besides,theconceptof“Cherifism”-tobeadescendentoftheprophetandtomakeofitatitleofsovereignty-,meansthatpowerisnotjustamatterofseculargovernanceandpersonalqualities,butisalsoamatteroflegitimacyanddiffusesacredness(OmarSaghi,2016).

IntheaftermathoftheindependenceofalltheMaghrebcountries,thenewstateshadtoface new challenges to meet multiple expectations, by adopting an approach thatcorrespondstotheirownhistoricalpath.Foritspart,Moroccohassufferedlittlefromthe"hormonalimbalances"ofcolonization,comparedtotheAlgerianneighbour.

After the independence of Morocco, the Monarchy -characterized by a complexlegitimacy-wasputunderthestresstestoftheprofanereality:“toconnectthepoliticalpowerofthehistoricaltimetothepropheticpowerofthesacredtime”.

Page 13: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

13

The1980sweredecisiveintheorganizationofthereligiousspaceinMorocco.Infact,in1984thepublicpowersinitiatedthereorganizationandcontrolofthereligiousfield.

Thus,inaninternationalcontextparticularlymarkedbyareturnofthereligiousaspectincarnatedbyanunprecedentedeventinthehistoryoftheIslamicworld,namelytheIranianrevolutionandtheestablishmentofafundamentallyShiitestatethatcontrolstheentire societyby imposinga total religiousorder, amobilizing religious frameofreferencehaspoppedupallovertheIslamicworld.Thisreligiousframeofreferencewasdetermined to supplant “militant ideologies” thatmarked theworld in the twentiethcentury,toreplacethemwithareligiousorderthataimstounderminethedominantpoliticalandideologicalsystem,andsubstituteitwithapurereligiousmodel.

Moroccodidnotescapethis“spectrum”thathauntstheMuslimArabworld.

To better understand this unprecedentedmutation, its modes of expression and itsmanagement by theMoroccanmonarchy –whichwas anxious to remain the centralproducer of the political order and its values-, it should be appropriate, within theframework of this study, to make an inventory of the permanence of the religiousquestioninMorocco,itsmodesofexpression,itssupervisionbythepublicauthoritiesinthelightoftheemergenceoftheIslamistplayerinthepoliticalarena.

TheDahirof1984-undertheruleofthelateHassanII-andtheDahirof2004-urgedbyKingMohamedVIremainthetwolegislativeframeworksinforce.

But,moreimportantthanthelawsofallkinds,itisimportanttonotetheroleofthekinginreligiousmatters,withparticularreference to thepowersconferred tohimby theconstitutiononthesubject.

Inthissense,thepreambleoftheconstitution,whichwasadoptedinJuly2011by95%ofthevoters,proclaimsthat,as“AsovereignMuslimState,attachedtoitsnationalunityand to its territorial integrity, the Kingdom of Morocco intends to preserve, in itsplenitudeanditsdiversity,itsoneandindivisiblenationalidentity.Itsunityisforgedbythe convergence of its Arab-Islamist, Berber and Saharan-Hassanic components,nourished and enriched by its African, Andalusian, Hebraic and Mediterraneaninfluences.Thepre-eminenceaccordedtotheMuslimreligioninthenationalreferenceisconsistentwiththeattachmentoftheMoroccanpeopletothevaluesofopenness,ofmoderation, of tolerance and of dialog for mutual understanding between all theculturesandthecivilizationsoftheworld”.

Astothearticle3ofthesameconstitution,itstatesthat“IslamisthereligionoftheState,whichguaranteestoallthefreeexerciseofbeliefs”.

Concerning theadministration/managementof the religious sphere, it falls entirelywithintheauthorityoftheking,whoisalso,accordingtotheconstitution,theheadoftheExecutivepower,thePresidentoftheJudicialauthorityandtheCommander-in-chiefof the armed forces. Thus, according to the article 41 of the constitution, ‘’TheKing,Prince(Commander)oftheFaithful(AmirAlMouminine),seestotherespectforIslam.HeistheGuarantorofthefreeexerciseofbeliefs.

Hepresides over the SuperiorCouncil of theUlema (Conseil superieurdesOulema),chargedwiththestudyofquestionsthathesubmitstoit.ThisCouncilisthesoleinstanceenabledtocomment(seprononcer,inFrench)onthereligiousconsultations(Fatwas)

Page 14: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

14

beforebeingofficiallyagreedto,onthequestionstowhichithasbeenreferredandthis,onthebasisofthetolerantprinciples,preceptsanddesignsofIslam.

Theattributions,thecompositionandthemodalitiesoffunctioningoftheCouncilareestablishedbyDahir (oraRoyalDecree). TheKingexercisesbyDahirs thereligiousprerogativesinherenttotheinstitutionoftheEmirate(thePrincipality)oftheFaithfulwhichareconferredtohiminexclusivemannerbythisArticle.Underthisumbrella,theMinistryofHabousandIslamicAffairsexertsfullauthorityoverofficialmosquesandother religious institutions, and on all religious activities and similar events in thecountry.

Page 15: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

15

4. Violentreligiousradicalisationchallenges

Moroccohasseen,sincetheendofthe1970sandthebeginningofthe1980s,ariseofconservatism and a process of radicalization of a part,more andmore visible, of its(young)populationinconnectionwithasetofinternationalevents,andinparallelwithdomesticeconomic,socialandpoliticaldevelopments(aspartiallystatedabove).

Amongtheexternalevents,itispossibletomentionallthoseforwhomMoroccans,asArabsandMuslims,haveaverystrongsensitivity.

In this regard,oneshouldmention thewarsofAfghanistan, from the1970sandstillongoing.ThewarinAfghanistanagainsttheformerUnionofSovietSocialistRepublicswas initially seen as a war between Islam and communism. From 2001, and theAmerican intervention in thatsamecountry, theAfghanwarsstarted tobeseenasaconfrontationbetweentheWest,representedbytheUSA,andIslam.

AnotherrelevanteventwastheBosnianWar,whichbeganin1992andlasteduntil1995,and led to thedeathsofaround100,000civiliansandsoldiers, amongwhichat least25,000BosnianMuslims.Withinthiswar,themassacreinSrebrenica(11/16July1995)and its8,372dead,allBosniancivilians,hadan immense impact in theArab-Muslimworld,includingMorocco.

Totheeffectsofthesewars,onemustaddtheconsequencesontheArab(andMuslim)publicopinionoftheIntifadasof1987and2000intheoccupiedPalestinianterritories,ofthewarsinIraq(from2003)andinSyria(from2011).

These external events were amplified inside Morocco (as in several Arab-Muslimcountries)bytheconjunctionofsocio-economicandpoliticalelements,makingalargepartofthepopulation,andespeciallyyoungpeople,moresensitivetotheargumentsofthesupportersof“PoliticalIslam”,forwhomallthattheMuslimssufferingliesintheirdistancefromthe“truevaluesofIslam”andinthehatredofWesternerstowardsthem.Amongthoseelements, it ispossibletostresssomewhichareofeconomicandsocialnaturesuchaswidespreadpovertyandagreatimbalanceinthedistributionofnationalwealth,youthunemployment,ahighlevelofilliteracyandagreatweaknessofthehealthsystem.Othersareofqualitative, intangible,culturalandpoliticalnature,suchas theschoolfailureortheprogressiveweakeningof“traditional”politicalparties,includingleft-wingparties.

Allthisledfirst-duringthe1980sand1990s-tothestrengtheningofRadicalIslamistcurrents,undertheinfluenceoftrendsrelatedtoSaudi“Wahhabism”ortotheMuslimBrothers“brotherhood”.

Afterthat,youngMoroccanswillbeinvolvedinorwillcommitvariousterroristactionsin Europe and inMorocco, and hundredswill join thewar fields in theMiddle East,startingfrom2011.

Page 16: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

16

In Europe,Moroccans (migrants or children ofmigrants)were involved in the trainattacksinMadrid(11March,2004),wheretheblastskilled191peopleandwounded1,841,orintheParisattacks(13November,2015)thatkilled130peopleandwoundedhundredsmore,aswellasintheBrusselsAirportandMetroattacks(22April,2016),when 32 peoplewere killed andmanymore injured, and also in the Barcelona andCambrilsattacks(17/18August,2017),whereadriver,withinagroupof12Jihadists,killed16peopleandinjuredmorethan100.

AsfortheterroristattacksontheMoroccansoilitself,thechronologybelowindicatesanaccelerationoftheradicalisationsince2003.Duringthisyear,inparticular,Moroccoexperienceditsmostseriousterroristattacks,whenfivesimultaneousterroristsuicidebombingshittouristandreligioussitesinCasablanca.

Before thatdate, however, a first attack - conductedbyFrenchnationals ofAlgerianorigin– tookplaceduring thesummerof1994, totallyaltering thepolitical relationsbetweenMoroccoandAlgeria.

ChronologyofattacksclaimedbyradicalIslamistsinMoroccosince1994

- OnAugust24,1994,afirstbloodyattackiscommittedinthefrontofthehotelAtlas Asni, in the tourist district, inMarrakech. Therewill be several victims,including a 34-year-old Spanish woman. The three terrorists have beensentencedtodeathandarestillincentralKenitraprison.ThisattackresultedinamajorpoliticalconflictbetweenMoroccoandAlgeria,aconflictthatcausedtheimmediate closure of land borders between the two. Even today, with theexception of the border between the two Koreas, it is the only passage thatremainsclosed,intimesofpeace,betweentwocountries.

- On May 16, 2003, the Casablanca suicide bombings struck five places in theMoroccan economic metropolis, with a heavy toll: 33 dead in addition to 12suicide bombers. Salafia Jihadia, linked toAlQaeda,was the sponsor of theseattacks.2,000radicalIslamistshad,inthewake,beenarrestedfollowingtheseattacks.

- OnMarch12,2007,anattackonaCasablancacybercaféresultedinonedeathandfour injuries. Thirty people were arrested and brought before the courts ofseveralcitiesinMorocco.

- On April 14, 2007, two kamikaze brothers operated explosive belts near anAmericanculturalcenterinthecenterofCasablanca.

- OnApril28,2011inMarrakech,anattack,knownastheArganacoffeebombing,left17deadand20woundedofvariousnationalities.Theauthoroftheattack,whichtookplaceinJamaâElF'na,touristcenterofthecity,isfromSafi-acitythathaslostmuchofitsonceflourishingindustrialactivitiesinthecanningsectorsardine,andwherethereisahighlevelofunemployment-andcomesfromtheSalafistmovement.Hewassentencedtodeath.

- On17December2018,nearMountToubkal, intheHighAtlas, inthevillageofImlil,intheregionofMarrakech,twoyoungtourists,aNorwegianandaDanish,

Page 17: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

17

weremurderedintheirsleep.Thisterroristcrime,carriedoutontheeveofthefestivitiesofChristmasandNewYear'sDay,aimedinparticulartostrikeablowtothetourismsectorinallofMorocco,andparticularlyinthisregionrunatthistimeofyearbythousandsoftouristsfrombothEuropeandMorocco.

5. Policiesandpracticesaddressingradicalisation Underthesupervisionoftheking,Prince(Commander)oftheFaithful,asspecifiedintheconstitution,themanagementofthereligioussphere,andthusthepreservationofa‘’ModerateIslam’’,intheMoroccanwayisfirstconductedthroughthePublicreligiouseducation which is mainly under the influence the Ministry of Habous and IslamicAffairs.

ThePublicreligiouseducationInMorocco,thiseducationisundertheofficialsupervisionoftheMinistryofNationalEducationandHigherEducation,butisorientedundertherealinfluenceoftheMinistryof Habous and Islamic Affairs. The Ministry of national education is in charge ofsystematic Islamic trainingandeducation, throughout thedifferentstagesofmoderneducation system, whether it is public or private, from pre-school till university;includingelementary,middleandhighschool.TheministryofHabouscontributestothereligiouseducationsectorsbytrainingspecialistsinthisfield.

TheMinistryofNationalEducationandHigherEducationcontrolsmultiplestructuresofreligiouseducation,fromkoranicpre-elementaryeducationtillspecializeduniversitytraining. It isalso inchargeof theorganizationofaspecific learningcalled«originaleducation».It'satwolevelcurriculum,primaryandsecondary.Thiskindofeducationresultsinreceivingabaccalaureate’sdegreein«Originalliterature»pavingthewaytoaccessuniversity.Inaddition,primaryandsecondarymodernschoolsprovideageneraland mandatory religious education for all students regardless of their level andorientation.Themanualsofreligiouseducationclearlyincludeideologicalcontentmorethancognitive/educationalone.Atthelevelofhighereducation,religiouseducationhasbeen set up since the academic year of 1979-1980 in the framework of a specificdepartment called «Islamic studies». This department exists now in the fourteenfacultiesofliteratureandhumanitiesofthecountry.

Moreover,atthelevelofhighereducation,theministryofnationaleducationcontrolsDaralHadithalHassaniyainstitute,foundedin1965bythelatekingHassanII,andAlQarawiyyne university,with its five faculties: Sharia faculty in Fes, Arabic languagefaculty inMarrakech,OussoulAddinefaculty inTetouan,Sharia faculty inAgadirandShariaSciencesfacultyinSmara.In2015,anewreorganizationannexedDaralHadithalHassaniyatoAl-QaraouiyyineUniversity.

Theacademicstaffofthesenewdepartmentsof“IslamicStudies”wasmadeofArabiclanguageprofessorswhowerereconverted into theologyandof theologianswhodidtheir training in the countries of the Arab Orient including Saudi Arabia, morespecificallyintheWahhabiuniversitiesthatwerewideopentostudentsfromMuslimcountriesthankstoscholarshipsoftheSaudigovernment.MoroccanUlamas(Religious

Page 18: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

18

scholars), who graduated from traditional theological institutes (i.e. Al QarawiyyineUniversityandDaral-Hadithal-Hassaniyya),havenotbeeninvolvedin implementingreligious education in modern faculties. Classical religious knowledge was thusabandonedunderthepretextthatithadbecomesclerotic.Ithasbeenreplacedthenbyanewtypeofreligiousdiscourseintendedtoencompassandrespondtocontemporaryworldissuesintheeconomic,political,socialandphilosophicalfields.Fromthenon,anewtypeofclericsemergedinMoroccohoaremorefocusedonideologicalcontroversythanontheologicalexegesis(ElAyadi,2004). All university courseswithin these different structures of religious education aim attrainingspecializedstaffindifferentfieldsincludingreligiousscience,IslamiclawandKoranicexegesis,etc.Thesecoursesarespecialized.TheyareintendedforapartoftheMoroccanschoolpopulation.ThispopulationhasnotceasedtoincreaseinnumberwiththecreationofnewdepartmentsofIslamicstudies.Thesedepartmentsenabledmanyoftheirgraduates toobtain teachingpostsofanewdisciplinecalled“Islamiceducation“introducedinschoolscurriculumattheendoftheseventies-undertheordersofthelateKingHassanIIwhowantedtoreducethepresenceofMarxist/socialiststreamsintheMoroccanuniversity.Thisdisciplinewastheonlysubjectmakingpartoftheschoolcurriculumfromthefirstyearofprimaryschooltothefinalyearofhighschool.Thus,ithas takenover theplaceofothersubjects likephilosophyandsocial sciences. Itwasthereforegeneralized,withasignificantnumberofhoursandcoefficient,toallpupilsinpublicandthenprivateschools,withoutanyconsiderationtodifferentschoolgradesorcourses. Its main purpose was then the religious socialization of the entire schoolpopulation. The textbooks of this subject praise Islam and speak willingly of thedevelopment of the “Islamic conscience” and the reinforcement of the attachment toIslamamongyoungergenerationscalledtoclaimloudlyandclearlytheirIslamicidentityagainst “the threats and dangers” of the cultural invasion (al-Ghazw al-Fikri), thedestructivethinking(al-Fikral-Haddam)andtheWesternintrusivethoughts(al-Fikral-Gharbiad-Dakhil)(MohammedElAyadi,1999).Thisdefensiveandinclusivereligiousdiscourse on Islam has been widely disseminated through this subject. It becamehegemonic inMoroccan Schools, and subsequently has had significant effects on thementality,beliefsandbehaviorofschoolyouth(ElAyadi,1999).

TheministryofHabousandIslamicAffairs TheministryofHabousandIslamicAffairs–arealStatewithintheState–controls,foritspart,sixkeyareas:

- The structures of religious education covering the Koranic education, calledrenovatededucation,ofwhichtheministryhasbeeninchargesince1964;

- Schools said to be traditional,which are former centers of religious learning,scatteredthroughoutMorocco,andwhosemissionistotrainjuniorclericssuchaspreachers,muezzinsandimamsofmosques.AccordingtothecensusoftheMinistryofHabousandIslamicAffairsconductedintheschoolyear2017-2018,thereare286traditionalschools.50%oftheseschoolsarelocatedintheregionsof Souss-Massa (the birthplace of the current prime minister) and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Huceima (the region from which many Moroccan fighters left

Page 19: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

19

between2011and2016towardstheSyrianandIraqiwarfields).99.56%oftheseschoolsareannexedtoamosqueand71.68%arerunbyassociations;

- ThereligiousscienceChairsheldbytheUlemas(religiousscholars)appointedbytheministryinthemainmosquesofthecountry;

- AnIslamiccenterforthetrainingofreligiousmanagers.Itwasfoundedin1974and was autonomous before being taken under the wings of the Ministry ofHabousandIslamicAffairsin1985.

- Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams,Morshidin (male religiouscounselors)andMorshidat(femalereligiouscounselors)inRabat.Thisinstitutewasfoundedin2004andthenopeneditsdoorstoforeignstudentsin2015.In2019,ithadmorethan1,300studentsfrom11countries,including150women,alongsideMoroccanstudents.Foreignstudentscomemainlyfromsub-SaharanAfricancountries,includingMali,GuineaConakry,Ivorycoast,Senegal,ChadandNiger.InaccordancewithanofficialFrenchMoroccanagreementsignedin2016,aboutfiftyFrenchstudentsjointheinstituteeachyear.Thesestudentsfollowathree-yearcoursedevotedtoIslamicsciences,humanities,JewishcultureandtheintroductiontoChristianity.

- TheMohammedVIFoundationofAfricanUlemas.ItwasfoundedinJune2015anddesigned to bring togetherMuslim scholars of the continent to “take anyinitiative to integrate the religious values of tolerance in any reform thatdevelopmentactionsinAfricaaresubjectto”.

Theaimofthisparagraph,whichwillbedevelopedfurtherinasubsequentphaseoftheproject, is tounderstand foundationsof the religious teachings in the curriculumsofdifferenteducationalsectorsinMorocco.Understandingthesereligiousteachingsshedscertainly the light on one of the most determining factors in the emergence anddevelopmentof the IslamistradicalizationphenomenonwithintheMoroccansociety.Infact,wefeelthatpeoplewhohaveadoptedthesectarianreligiousideologyof“jihadistSalafism”andwhoareradicalizedinMoroccowere,intheirvastmajority,influencedbytheIslamicteachingsprovidedinthedifferentpublicandprivateeducationalsystemsthroughoutthecountry(wewillcomebacktothispointwhenanalysingthecurriculafollowedinthesestructuresaswellastheschoolbooksattachedtothem).

6. Someconcludingremarks

All theelements -whichwill bedeveloped later - andwhichwere introduced in theparagraphon“Violentreligiousradicalisationchallenges”aswellastheChronologyofattacksclaimedbyradicalIslamistsinMoroccosince1994showthatalargenumberofMoroccans,youngpeople inparticular,havebecomeradicalizedover thepast30/35years, andhave started violent actions - both inMorocco and abroad - over the lasttwentyfiveyears.

Thishappened(ishappening)despite:

- TheroleofCommanderofthebelieversdevolvedbytheConstitutiontotheKing;

Page 20: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

20

- Allthelegislativearsenaltendingto“protect”Moroccansocietyagainstreligiousradicalization;

- The political discourse seeking to accredit the idea of a moderate and openMoroccanIslamonitsinternationalhumanistenvironment;

- The control exercised by the Ministry of Habous and Islamic affairs on themajorityofmosquesinthecountryandonlargepartsoftheeducationalsystem

- Thepolitical(andoftenfinancial)controloverpublicandprivatemedia.

However, if the reality of the groundon the front of radicalizationdoesnot seem tocorrespondtowhattheMoroccanrulerswant-orsaytheyarewishing-isthatpowerfulfactors are acting within Moroccan society as in some of Morocco’s Internationalrelationships.

InMoroccoitself,itispossibletomention:

- The strengtheningof conservative currentswithin society, in citiesas in ruralareas,inrelationwiththereformsintroducedintheMoroccaneducationalsystemsincethe 1970s. Additionally with the penetration, since the 1990s, of Arab satellitetelevisions,easilyaccessibletoilliteratewomenaswellastothemostdisadvantagedsocialstrata,asitisoneoftheirveryfewdistractions;

- Thesocio-economicsituation,aspresentedsuccinctlyabove,markedbyahighlevel unemployment, among young people and graduates in particular, a highprecariousnessofa largepartofthepopulationaswellasthedifficultiesofaccesstobasicpublicservices(ofwhichschool,healthorwaterandsanitation);

- Thehighlevelofilliteracystillprevailingamongthepopulation,andthefactthattheofficialandprivatemediaplaynoroleintheeducationofsocietyandinitspossibleopennesstotheprinciplesanduniversalhumanvalues;

- Thedifficultiesoforganizationandexpressionin(normal)politicalpartiesandalsotheimpossibilityofcontrollingtheeconomicorpoliticaldecisionsengagingsociety.Thisgivesrisetoafatalisticapproachinmanypeople,especiallythepoorest,whorelyonGodtosolvetheirproblems.Hencethegreateffectoftheslogan“Islamisthesolution”,veryoftenheardduringthedemonstrations/protestsorganizedbyIslamistcurrents.

As regards to the role of Morocco's international relations in the process ofradicalizationofpartofitspopulation,itshouldbenotedthattheimportantinfluenceofsomeGulfcountries(particularlysincethe1980sandthecrisisofthedebtthatMoroccoexperiencedin1982/1983)onMoroccandomesticpoliticsaswellasonthereligiousorientationsofthesociety,havegonehand-in-handwiththefundingthatcountrieslikeQatar,theUnitedArabEmiratesand,aboveall,theKingdomofSaudiArabiaaregivingtoMoroccoinparallelwiththeirownenrichment.

Atthislevel,itseemsobviousthatifMoroccohadsufficientlydevelopeditseconomy,itwouldhavehadnoneedforforeignaid-includingthatcomingfromArabcountries-andfromthat,itwouldnothavebeensubmittedtoanyexternalideologicalorreligiousinfluence.

Page 21: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

21

References

AbderrahimBerrada,PlaidoiriepourunMaroclaïque,TarikEditions,Rabat,Morocco.2018.MohammedElAyadi,Entreislametislamisme,Revueinternationaled’EducationdeSèvres:Écoleetreligion,N°36,pp.111-122,September2004.ErnstH.Kantorowicz,TheKing’sTwoBodiesAStudyinMedievalPoliticalTheology.EditionsPaperback,2016.MehdiLahlou,MigrationDynamicsinPlayinMorocco:TraffickingandPoliticalRelationshipsandTheirImplicationsattheRegionalLevel.InMENARAPapersIssue.WorkingPapers26.Publicationdate:30/11/2018.Rome,IAI,November2018,17p.OmarSaghi,Comprendrelamonarchiemarocaine.EditionsLaCroiséedesChemins.Paris,2016.ZiauddinSardar,HistoiredelaMecque,(translatedfromEnglish)EditionsPayot,Paris,France,2017.HautCommissariatauPlan,Résultatsdurecensementgénéraldelapopulation2014.Rabat.https://www.hcp.maSecrétariatGénéraldugouvernement,RoyaumeduMaroc,‘’LaConstitution2011’’(Arabic,FrenchandEnglishversions),Rabat.

Page 22: Country Report Morocco - GREASEgrease.eui.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/11/Morocco-report.pdfmorocco country report grease 4 in europe, moroccans (migrants or children of migrants)

MoroccoCountryReportGREASE

22

Projectname:Radicalisation,SecularismandtheGovernanceofReligion:BringingTogetherEuropeanandAsianPerspectivesProjectAcronym:GREASEProjectCoordinator:ProfessorAnnaTriandafyllidouContact:[email protected] November2019Documentseriesreference:D2.1CountryReports

ThisdocumentcanbedownloadedfromthepublicationssectionoftheGREASEwebsiteathttp://grease.eui.eu/ Thesoleresponsibilityofthispublicationlieswiththeauthors.TheEuropeanUnionisnotresponsibleforanyusethatmaybemadeoftheinformationcontainedherein.

TheGREASEprojecthasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion'sHorizon2020researchandinnovationprogrammeundergrantagreementnumber770640