Final Curtain Falls on Composition of Moroccan Government Saga

The list of ministers of the new cabinet led by the PJD’s Saad Eddine EL Othmani has been greenlighted by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Place in Rabat on Wednesday, ending a post-electoral deadlock that left Morocco without a government for six months.

EL Othmani was appointed head of Government on March 17, in replacement of Secretary General of the Islamist PJD Abdelilah Benkirane who failed to form a coalition Government after over 5 months of political gerrymandering with several political parties.
El Othmani, who is president of the National Council of the PJD, broke away with the rhetoric and the stands of his predecessor, and it took him only nine days to reach agreement with five parties and announce the composition of his Government.

The Liberal RNI and UC, the traditionalist MP and the socialist PPS and USFP are participating in the PJD-led Government.

The ministers of the new cabinet were sworn-in before King Mohammed VI, marking the beginning of their tenure.

– Saad Eddine El Othmani: Head of Government.
– Mustapha Ramid: Minister of State in charge of Human Rights.
– Abdelouafi Laftit: Minister of the Interior.
– Nasser Bourita: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
– Mohamed Aujjar: Minister of Justice.
– Ahmed Toufiq: Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs.
– Mohamed El Hajjoui: Secretary General of the Government.
– Mohamed Boussaid: Minister of Economy and Finance.
– Aziz Akhannouch: Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests .
– Mohamed Nabil Benabdellah: Minister of National Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy.
– Mohamed Hassad: Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research.
– Moulay Hafid El Alamy: Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy.
– Abdelkader Amara: Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water.
– El Houcine Louardi: Minister of Health.
– Aziz Rebbah: Minister of Energy, Mining and Sustainable Development.
– Mohamed Sajid: Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy.
– Rachid Talbi Alami: Minister of Youth and Sports.
– Mohamed Laaraj: Minister of Culture and Communication.
– Bassima Hakkaoui: Minister of Family, Solidarity, Gender Equity and Social Development.
– Mohamed Yatim: Minister of Employment and Vocational Integration.
– Abdellatif Loudiyi : Minister Delegate to the Head of Government for National Defense .
– Lahcen Daoudi: Minister Delegate to the Head of Government for General Affairs and Governance.
– Mustapha El Khalfi: Minister Delegate to the Head of Government for Relations with the Parliament and Civil Society, Spokesman of the Government.
– Mohamed Ben Abdelkader: Minister Delegate to the Head of Government for the Reform of Administration and Public Service.
– Abdelkrim Benatiq: Minister Delegate to the Foreign Affairs Minister for Moroccans residing abroad and Migration.
– Noureddine Boutayeb: Minister Delegate to the Interior Minister.
– Mohamed Najib Boulif: Secretary of State to the Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water, in charge of Transport.
– Mbarka Bouaida: Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, in charge of Fisheries.
– Charafat Yadri Afilal: Secretary of State to the Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water, in charge of water.
– Jamila El Moussali: Secretary of State to the Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy, in charge of crafts and social economy.
– Mounia Boucetta: Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
– Hamou Ouheli: Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, in charge of Rural Development, Water and Forests.
– Fatna Lkhiyel: Secretary of State to the Minister of National Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy, in charge of Housing.
– Khalid Samadi: Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
– Larbi Bencheikh: Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, in charge of Vocational Training.
– Rkia Derham: Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, in charge of Foreign Trade.
– Lamia Boutaleb: Secretary of State to the Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy, in charge of Tourism.
– Othmane El Ferdaous: Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, in charge of Investment.
– Nezha El Ouafi: Secretary of State to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, in charge of Sustainable Development.

The adherence of six parties to the new governmental coalition gives the head of the Government Saad Eddine El Othmani a comfortable majority of 240 seats out of 395, composed of the PJD (125 seats), the RNI (37), MP (27), USFP (20), UC (19) and the PPS (12), leaving opposition to liberal PAM with 102 seats and conservative PI with 46 seats.