Elections: political parties called to respect political pledge on women's candidacy

Moroccan political parties have been called to respect the political and ethical commitment made to reserve a national list to women candidates to the coming elections.

The call was launched by the national coordination commission of political parties' women sections which said, in a communique, it was following with keen interest women's candidacies to the legislative elections slated for September 27.

The commission said any breach to this commitment is a violation of the national unanimity and an attempt to weaken the struggle staged by the Moroccan woman to consecrate her constitutional right to access decision-making positions.

The Moroccan government decided earlier this year to allocate 30 parliamentary seats to women at the 325Ðseat house of representative (lower chamber) and several parties announced plans to institute the minimum 20% quota system, as part of a set of measures meant to set in place the appropriate mechanisms likely to ensure an effective representation of women in the parliament and pledged to use all material and human means to guarantee a wide participation of women in the elections.

The coordination commission includes the women's sections of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), the Istiqlal Party (PI), the Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS), the Democratic Socialist Party (PSD), the Popular movement (MP) the Front of Democratic Forces (FFD) and the National democrat Party (PND).