Constitutional Union (Morocco)

The Constitutional Union (Arabic: الاتحاد الدستوري; Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⵍⵉⵜⵜⵉⴰⴷ ⴰⴷⴷⵓⵔⵜⵓⵔⵉ, romanized: Tamunt Tamenḍawant; French: Union constitutionelle) is a political party in Morocco aligned with the ruling monarchy. The party has a history of cooperating with two other parties with a liberal orientation, the National Rally of Independents and the Popular Movement, since 1993.

Constitutional Union
الاتحاد الدستوري
ⴰⵍⵉⵜⵜⵉⴰⴷ ⴰⴷⴷⵓⵔⵜⵓⵔⵉ
Union Constitutionelle
LeaderMohammed Sajid
FounderMaati Bouabid
Founded10 April 1983; 41 years ago (1983-04-10)
HeadquartersRabat, Morocco
IdeologyMonarchism[1][2]
Liberal conservatism[3]
Conservative liberalism[4][5]
Economic liberalism[6]
Populism[7]
Political positionCentre-right[1][8]
International affiliationLiberal International
Regional affiliationAfrica Liberal Network
Arab Liberal Federation
House of Representatives
18 / 325
Website
Union Constitutionnelle

History

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The grouping was founded by then Prime Minister Maati Bouabid in 1983[9][10] and favoured by King Hassan II. In the 1984 parliamentary election, it won the greatest number of seats, but remained far from an absolute majority. Later it became an ordinary party without a special role in Morocco's multi-party system.[11]

The party is a full member of Liberal International, which it joined at the latter's Dakar Congress in 2003.[12] Its electoral symbol is a horse.[13]

In the parliamentary election held on 27 September 2002, the party won 16 out of 325 seats. In the next parliamentary election, held on 7 September 2007, the party won 27 out of 325 seats.[14] The party won 23 out of 325 seats in the parliamentary election held in November 2011, being the seventh party in the parliament.[14]

Electoral results

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Moroccan Parliament

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House of Representatives
Election year # of
overall votes
% of
overall vote
# of
overall seats won
+/– Leader
1984 1,101,502 (#1) 24.8
82 / 301
1993 769,149 (#3) 12.8
54 / 333
  29
1997 647,746 (#5) 10.2
50 / 325
  4
2002 ? (#7) 4.9
16 / 325
  34
2007 335,116 (#6) 7.3
27 / 325
  11
2011 275,137 (#7) 5.8
23 / 395
  4
2016 (#7)
19 / 395
  4
2021 (#7)
18 / 395
  1

References

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  1. ^ a b Thomas K. Park; Aomar Boum (2006), Historical Dictionary of Morocco, Scarecrow Press, p. 286
  2. ^ Gareth M. Winrow (2000), Dialogue With the Mediterranean: The Role of NATO's Mediterranean Initiative, Garland, p. 78
  3. ^ Hekking, Morgan (8 January 2020). "Moroccan Parliament Debates Bab Sebta Free Zone to Curb 'Mule Women'". Morocco World News. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Moroccan lawmaker shot dead outside Casablanca home". Reuters. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  5. ^ Cavatorta, Francesco; Storm, Lise; Resta, Valeria (2020). Routledge Handbook on Political Parties in the Middle East and North Africa. Routledge. p. 103. ISBN 9781000293302.
  6. ^ A.H. Saulniers (2001), "Privatization in Morocco", Privatization: A global perspective, Routledge, p. 222
  7. ^ Pennell, C.R. (2000). Morocco Since 1830: A History. NYU Press. p. 362. ISBN 9780814766774.
  8. ^ James N. Sater (2007), Civil Society and Political Change in Morocco, Routledge, p. 86
  9. ^ "Moroccan Political Parties". Riad Reviews. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Organizations". Maroc. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  11. ^ Bernabé López García (2013), "Morocco: regime and fuse", Political Regimes in the Arab World: Society and the Exercise of Power, Routledge, p. 102
  12. ^ Entry on Constitutional Union Archived 6 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Liberal International.
  13. ^ Park, Thomas K.; Boum, Aomar (2006), Historical Dictionary of Morocco, Scarecrow Press, p. 293
  14. ^ a b "Morocco". European Forum. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.