Moroccan administration pledges neutrality in coming elections
Morocco, Politics, 9/4/2002

Moroccan minister of the interior Driss Jettou has renewed the pledge that the Moroccan administration will stick to its neutrality in all the phases of the coming elections to be held on September 27 to elect the 325 members of the House of Representatives (lower house of the Parliament).

Jettou made the pledge at a meeting Monday on the occasion of the launch of the second phase of the communication campaign, part of preparations for the coming polls.

The administration is not a side to the elections, he said insisting however that "neutrality does not mean resignation nor anarchy." The administration which does not present candidates to the polls will not discredit nor back any of the participating parties.

For the ministry of the interior, the organizing of elections is a mere technical operation, he said, adding that his department will deal severely, in line with the law, with any dishonest behavior such as the use of money, the use of state-owned means in the electoral campaign or the resort to false promises to buy votes. He said he had personally requested the staging of a campaign to struggle against such behaviors.

Jettou asserted that preparations for the legislative elections are over and that all material, financial and human means were ready.

Twenty six political parties will participate in the elections. Candidacy applications will be deposited from September 6 through 13 and the electoral campaign will take place between September 14 and September 26.

As to the second phase of the communication campaign, Jettou said the operation will use the audiovisual media with the airing of ads and clips in Arabic, French and Berber.

Another senior official of the ministry of the interior said the campaign is meant to foster citizens' awareness to the importance of their participation in the polls, to struggle against electoral rigging and to guarantee the polls transparency and honesty.

Jettou stated further that the government and all political partners were expecting the Moroccan media, newsmen and communication professionals to ensure a large and objective covering of the polls. Everybody is expecting an effective contribution of the media in the effort to mobilize citizens, in the respect of loyal competitiveness and democratic values, he said.

After the exceptional revision of the rolls, the number of voters reached 14,050,136. The number of polling stations will increase by 11.78 percent compared to the previous elections (1997) to stand at 37,517. The number of voters in each polling station stands in average at 374.

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed, chairman of al-Quds committee, calls for joint action to protect holy city   (9/3/2002)
  Butaflika congratulates King Mohammed on anniversary date   (8/31/2002)
  King Mohammed calls for massive and discerning participation in coming polls   (8/21/2002)
  Legislative elections in Morocco to be held september 27   (8/7/2002)
  Moroccan expatriates congress for representation in parliament   (8/6/2002)

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