Progressive constitution for Morocco

Official accounts put the number of those who voted in favour of a constitutional reform curtailing King Mohammed VI's powers in a referendum held on Friday in Morocco at more than 98 percent. But the country is still a long way from true democracy, writes the left-liberal daily El País: "Despite the many limitations to his power, the - incredibly - overwhelming majority with which voters backed the constitutional reform proposed by Mohammed VI show the monarch enjoys far more public trust than most of his Arab counterparts. The King acted quickly to ease the repercussions of Arab Spring tsunami, which is threatening some of the most despotic and long-established regimes on the planet. ... The new constitution is a step in the right direction but it is far from forming the basis for a genuine parliamentary monarchy. And nor was that its purpose. After all, it was drafted by people close to the King and pushed through without any public debate."

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