Unveiling Morocco’s Power Dynamics: Amidst King’s Absence, a ‘Security Alliance’ Holds Sway

BY: Hana Saada

ALGIERS- In a rare and candid interview with The Times, Prince Hichem Alaoui, the Moroccan king’s cousin and a research associate at Harvard University, has voiced apprehension regarding the unsettling state of affairs in the Moroccan political realm. Drawing attention to the escalating influence of the security apparatus within the formal political structure, Prince Hichem has underscored the necessity of timely royal intervention to avert an impending “national crisis.” The prince’s concerns reflect the growing unease arising from King Mohammed VI’s prolonged absence, which has precipitated a shift of power into the hands of what experts are terming a “security alliance.”

Prince Hichem Alaoui is known for his alignment with democratic principles and his support for the Arab Spring movements. His interview arrives against the backdrop of King Mohammed VI’s extended stays abroad, casting the monarch’s role within the Moroccan political theater into doubt.

Last year, according to The Economist, King Mohammed VI spent almost 200 days outside the borders of Morocco. The king’s direct engagement with his people has become increasingly scarce, with infrequent press interactions and a noticeable lack of responses to pertinent political and social events. Since his ascension to the throne in 1999, King Mohammed VI has granted a mere six press interviews, primarily to international media outlets. The last of these interviews took place in 2016. The head of the National Syndicate of Moroccan Press, who maintains close ties to the royal palace, has argued that “the national media lacks the requisite qualification to conduct an interview with the king.”

Abdellatif El Hamamouchi, a Moroccan journalist and political science researcher, affirms that the king’s prolonged absences have eroded the regime’s popularity. A historic shift has occurred as Moroccans have openly expressed dissatisfaction with the palace and the monarch’s prolonged absence. Public discontent stems from the king’s perceived inability to alleviate the country’s economic challenges, particularly the unprecedented surge in food and fuel prices.

Consequently, the longstanding narrative positing “the king as virtuous and the political class as problematic” has begun to crumble, failing to gloss over the palace’s distorted image. Mounia Bennani Chraibi, a professor of political science at the University of Lausanne, notes that in recent years, Moroccans have increasingly voiced the belief that “the king holds the reins of governance.” Effectively, the government serves as little more than an executive tool, at times reduced to a mere facade for decisions originating from the palace. This assertion echoes former Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane’s view that “the ruler of Morocco is His Majesty; the prime minister is but his aide.”

The Secret Temple

The extended absence of the king has given rise to a novel actor in Morocco’s political landscape, a constellation colloquially referred to as the “security alliance.” This coalition comprises security and intelligence agencies, business interests linked to the rentier economy, as well as politicians and senior state officials.

Mohamed Ziane, former president of the Moroccan Bar Association and ex-minister of human rights, was among the first to shed light on this alliance, which he termed the “state absorption network.” According to Ziane, this network is spearheaded by a royal advisor in close proximity to King Mohammed VI. Following his interview, Ziane was arrested and subsequently imprisoned.

Months later, Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet unveiled more insights about this network, dubbing it the “secret structure.” The term was first coined by Maati Monjib, a historian at Mohammed V University in Rabat, in November 2020. The concept aims to encapsulate “the exclusive circle atop Morocco’s power hierarchy, orchestrating the nation’s political, security, and economic dimensions, akin in function to the notion of a deep state,” as journalist Ali Anouzla elaborates.

The concern extends beyond this “structure” merely operating beyond legal and constitutional boundaries, bereft of any authentic popular endorsement. It also holds the means to neutralize anyone attempting to expose its members. In addition to Ziane, Maati Monjib himself was apprehended in late 2020, shortly after producing an analytical piece on this very subject. Following his release in March 2021, the Moroccan Ministry of Interior issued a statement discrediting Monjib’ statements, accusing him of “misleading national and international public opinion” and tainting the country’s human rights image.

Discourse persists within political and human rights spheres regarding Morocco’s governance crisis and the enigmatic “secret structure.” Simultaneously, authorities steadfastly refute the existence of this metaphorical “temple,” launching assaults against those daring to investigate or mention it.

This trajectory could potentially pave the way for a direct clash between the citizenry and the palace, particularly as the latter’s historical legitimacy wanes due to the diminishing role of the king in the public domain.

*Abdellatif El Hamamouchi is a Moroccan journalist specializing in political matters. This article was originally published in The Independent, a Spanish newspaper.*