Moroccans were tipped to pass a referendum on a revised constitution offered by King Mohammed to placate “Arab Spring” street protesters, despite boycott calls by opponents. The new charter grants the government executive powers, but retains the king at the helm of the army, religious authorities and the judiciary and still allows him to dissolve Parliament, though not unilaterally as is the case now. That falls far short of the demands of the “February 20” protest movement, which wants a constitutional monarchy where the king’s powers would be kept in check by elected lawmakers.
However, they have so far failed to attract the mass support of popular uprisings that toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. They are urging Moroccans to boycott the vote and say a low turnout would back their calls for more radical reforms. “I voted ‘yes’ because we have to obey the Commander of the Faithful,” retired Agriculture Ministry engineer Samira Denguir said in the middle-class Hassan suburb of the capital Rabat, referring to the king’s religious role.