Moroccan democracy, the winner of Friday's polls, minister
Morocco, Politics, 9/30/2002

Moroccan Democracy has emerged as the "great winner" of the polls held Friday to elect 325 members to the House of Representatives, said Moroccan minister of the interior, Driss Jettou.

In a statement Sunday evening to the Moroccan and foreign press to proclaim the polls results, Jettou pointed out that the Moroccan people expressed itself freely and democratically and made its choices in transparency and total regularity, responding thus to the calls of King Mohammed VI, who bestowed his solicitude on the first consultation of his reign.

Jettou who recalled the repeated calls made by the sovereign to citizens, to political parties and to the administration so that the elections unfold in a climate of transparency, honesty and mobilization, recalled that the sovereign issued instructions so that the polls be held in the scheduled date, regardless of the difficulties and the constraints, and so that this new assembly opens its term in the constitutional deadlines and in line with the provisions of the constitution.

The interior minister insisted that the polls results confirm the great victory of Moroccan democracy and that Morocco and H.M. King Mohammed VI came out greater from this first outstanding electoral test.

The king bet on leading the administration and political parties to conduct clean, suspicion-free elections, conform to the practices consecrated in oldest democracies, Jettou said adding that the trust placed by political parties, candidates and the civil society in the country's institutions and apparatuses entrusted with organizing the polls proved judicious. No one can henceforth blame Morocco for failure to abide by the rules of democracy, the verdict of the polls and the people's sovereign choice, Jettou said.

He stated further that the polls equally enabled to shed light on the strength and weakness of the political parties forming the country's pluralistic landscape. This is a moment of truth that sheds light on the kingdom's political map, that is drawn by the people, in a way leaving no room to protest, he said.

This political chessboard derives its legitimacy from the free and democratic verdict of the polls and everyone can henceforth rely on this legitimacy he had been recognized in conformity with the laws of democracy, and be proud of it, Jettou said.

He added that the September 27 rendez-vous kept its promises and will be recorded as one of the founder acts of the new culture of freedoms, democracy and human rights that the sovereign has been repeatedly upholding, with conviction and resolve, since his enthronement.

Previous Stories:
  Voters' demographic, social profile   (9/28/2002)
  Elections: turnout put at 52% to 55%, no major incidents   (9/28/2002)
  Electoral campaign downs curtain   (9/27/2002)

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