Morocco vows to transparency in local poll
Morocco, Politics, 8/26/2003

"It is necessary to guarantee" a suitable climate for conducting communal elections within the transparency and credibility sought by king Mohammed VI," said governor director of elections department at the interior ministry, Brahim Boufous.

Boufous told the Moroccan TV channel "TVM" the local poll, due on September 12, will take place under a new legal arsenal, marked by the amendment of the communal charter and the organization of provincial authorities and the introduction of other amendments to the electoral code.

Among the fundamental amendments to the electoral code, Boufous cited those related to toughening sanctions to repress the illegal use of money to buy votes. Ten percent of articles of the electoral code deal with sanctions in case of electoral violations to guarantee an honest competition between political parties and candidates during registration on electoral rolls, polls or other aspects of the electoral process.

Sanctions also concern the exploitation of means of the state, local authorities and public and semi-public institutions during the electoral campaign, he said.

Any violation will entail an ineligibility for two electoral mandates, Boufous warned.

He recalled, in this connection, the publication of a joint circular note, recently by the departments of the Interior and of Justice that stresses the important role administrative authority plays to ensure the transparency of the polls.

The circular said measures will be applied to repress breachers to electoral laws, particularly attempts to influence voters' will and their free choices.

Attempts to deviate Morocco's democratic process, to use the country's democratic regime for ends contrary to its fundamental choices to harm public order, peace and security will also be punished, the note said.

These measures cannot lead to the sought results without the collaboration of all administrative bodies and political organizations, Boufous insisted, underscoring that the interior ministry decided to use a special seal on each vote bulletin to avoid their use in other electoral districts.

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