Ce que les réformes constitutionnelles font au Parlement marocain

Abstract

The contributions of the constitutional revision of 1996 were well-framed within the space of what was possible and reformable. The idea that King Hassan II made of this reform helped determine the form and limits of Morocco’s separation of powers. As a result, the parliament was in a secondary position next to the royal institution, which determined the rules of the institutional game and maintained strict control over the constitutional process. However, with by the most recent constitutional reform announced by King Mohamed VI in June 2011, the drafters of the new constitutional text made significant efforts to define legislative powers. This new text is more detailed than the 1996 constitution: the parliamentary powers were greatly expanded by the new version’s provisions. The parliamentary institution henceforth acquired a life of its own, owing newfound powers to the new constitutional text. The redevelopment of legislative space has created a unique situation which can be designated “the birth of an institution.” Our contribution is an analytical description of the role of parliament in the Moroccan constitutional system in light of 1996 and 2011 constitutional reforms. This analysis inherently enables a comparison of the two royal designs of constitutional reform.