RABAT // Protesters seeking limits to King Mohamed VI's power were expected to call on Moroccans last night to boycott a referendum that the king hopes will approve constitutional reforms.
The king said in a televised address on Friday: "Your first servant will fulfil his national duty by voting 'yes' to the project of the new constitution," urging voters to do likewise.
King Mohamed says the proposed reforms strengthen the separation of powers in Morocco. Leaders of the youth-driven February 20 protest movement say they are cosmetic and have promised to keep up the pressure.
"There has been no real response to our demands," said Montasser Drissi, 19, a co-founder of the movement. "The king retains many powers and heads numerous state councils."
Under the proposed reforms, the prime minister must be chosen from the party that comes first in elections, and the PM will also have broadened powers to form a cabinet. But the king directly controls the military, security and religious establishments, and heads the Supreme Council of Justice.
February 20 activists say that the proposed reforms are invalidated by having been crafted by a royally appointed commission, while the referendum date of July 1 leaves no time for public debate of their merits.
On Sunday evening, royalist demonstrators in Rabat, the capital, broke up a march by February 20 activists in the working-class quarter of Hay Takadoum, pelting them with eggs as police beat several with batons, according to leaders of the February 20 protest group.
The movement was expected hold a general meeting last night to agree on its next moves, with a call for boycotting the referendum the most likely outcome, protest leaders said.
However, such a move would underline questions about the February 20th movement's ability to maintain support among a population that largely appreciates King Mohamed, seen as a foil to distrusted politicians.
After the king's speech on Friday, support appeared to grow for his reform proposals, with some Moroccans voicing disillusionment with the February 20th movement.
"I liked February 20th at the start, but I'm here today to oppose them," said Adnan Semmar, 37, a video production administrator who joined royalist demonstrators in Hay Takadoum on Sunday, wearing a Moroccan flag like a cape. "The reforms are a step forward for Morocco."
Scores of royalists were marching along the avenue waving red Moroccan flags and portraits of King Mohamed, past onlookers and vans of police keeping the avenue clear of traffic.
A van filled with teenage demonstrators in red T-shirts blared slogans through loudspeakers: "The people say yes to the constitution! The people demand the downfall of the traitors!", a reference to the February 20th movement, royalist demonstrators said.
The movement materialised in January on Facebook among young Moroccans inspired by Tunisia's revolution. Momentum quickly grew to organise protests in Morocco. On February 20, tens of thousands marched in cities across the country, condemning state corruption and calling for limits to King Mohamed's power.
Authorities have alternately tolerated and violently suppressed further protests, as the movement has become a grab-bag coalition including left-leaning political parties, independent activists and Morocco's largest Islamist movement.
Hassan Bennajeh, a political bureau member of Al Adl wal Ihssane, an Islamist movement that is part of February 20th, said: "Change should come from co-operation among different currents."
Al Adl wal Ihssane has traditionally called for Islamic values to inform state policy, Mr Bennajeh said. "But now we're putting our special demands to the side, as other groups are putting theirs to the side."
However, lack of structure may cost February 20 activists support over time, said Karim Tazi, a leading Moroccan businessman who has advised the movement.
Yasmina Sarhrouny, a Rabat-based researcher in women's issues, said: "I think the movement itself is a sign of political health. But it's time for them to be constructive. Going to the street saying you're unhappy is not enough."
While the movement mustered demonstrations in multiple cities on Sunday, numbers have dropped in recent weeks, while authorities have branded protest leaders as leftist and Islamist extremists.
According to Mr Drissi, the movement has nevertheless scored at least one victory already by starting public debate in Morocco on long-taboo subjects. "For example, after only three months, people can talk about the king and religion," he said. "That's a big change. And it's not due to the constitution. It's the pressure of the movement."
jthorne@thenational.ae
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff
By Sean Penn
Simon & Schuster
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Ireland (15-1):
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
The%20Killer
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
