Justice and Development Party (Morocco)

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Justice and Development Party
حزب العدالة والتنمية
ⴰⴽⴰⴱⴰⵔ ⵏ ⵜⴰⵏⵣⵣⴰⵔⴼⵓⵜ ⴷ ⵜⴰⵏⴼⵍⵉⵜ
Ḥizb al-ʿAdālah wal-Tanmiyah
Parti de la Justice et du Développement
Leader Abdelillah Benkirane
Founded 1967 (MPDC)
1998 (PJD)
Headquarters 4 Abdulwahid al-Marrakeshi Street, Rabat
Newspaper Almisbah
Ideology Islamism[1][2]
Islamic democracy
Moroccan nationalism[2]
Conservatism
Seats in the Assembly of Representatives
107 / 395
Website
www.pjd.ma/
Politics of Morocco
Political parties
Elections

The Justice and Development Party (Arabic: حزب العدالة والتنمية‎, Berber: ⴰⴽⴰⴱⴰⵔ ⵏ ⵜⴰⵏⵣⵣⴰⵔⴼⵓⵜ ⴷ ⵜⴰⵏⴼⵍⵉⵜ, French: Parti de la Justice et du Développement, abbreviated to PJD) is the ruling party in Morocco since 29 November 2011. The PJD advocates Islamism and Islamic democracy.

Contents

[edit] History

The party was founded by Abdelkrim Al Khatib one of the founders of the Popular Movement party, from which he was expelled in the mid-1960s, under the name of MPDC (French: Mouvement populaire démocratique et constitutionnel, the "Popular Democratic and Constitutional Movement"). The party was an empty shell for many years, until various members of a clandestine association Chabiba islamia, who later formed the MUR (French: Mouvement unité et réforme, the "Unity and Reform Movement") joined the party, with the authorisation and encouragement of former interior minister Driss Basri. It later changed its name to current PJD in 1998.

[edit] Parliamentary representation

In the parliamentary election, held on 27 September 2002, the party won 42 out of 325 seats, winning most of the districts where it fielded candidates. Its secretary-general since 2004 is Saadeddine Othmani, MP representing Mohammedia. In the parliamentary election held on 7 September 2007, the PJD won 46 out of 325 seats, behind the Istiqlal Party, which won 52. This was contrary to expectations that the PJD would win the most seats.[3]

Abdelilah Benkirane was elected leader of the Justice and Development Party in July 2008, taking over from Saadeddine Othmani.[4] Having won a plurality of seats in the November 2011 parliamentary election, the party formed a coalition with three parties that had been part of previous governments, and Benkirane was appointed Prime Minister of Morocco on 29 November 2011.[5][6]

His new government has targeted average economic growth of 5.5 percent a year during its four year mandate, and to reduce the jobless rate to 8 percent by the end of 2016 from 9.1 percent at the start of 2012.[7] Benkirane's government has also actively pursued Morocco’s ties with the European Union, its chief trade partner, as well as becoming increasingly engaged with the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council.[8]

[edit] Ideology

The PJD claims to be inspired by Turkey's Justice and Development Party. According to The Washington Post, Saad Eddine el-Othmani (the party's head) is a moderate Muslim.[9]

According to a paper published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the PJD has placed economic and legal issues at the core of its platform and is committed to internal democracy.[10]

The party's stated platform includes:[11]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chen, Cherice (25 November 2011). "Morocco votes in first election since protests; Islamist party eyes victory". Taiwan News. http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1769378. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Alami, Aida (25 November 2011). "Moroccans Vote in Election Marking Shift of Power From King". Bloomberg Businessweek. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-11-25/moroccans-vote-in-election-marking-shift-of-power-from-king.html. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  3. ^ "Moroccans favor conservative party instead of ushering in Islamic party". International Herald Tribune. Associated Press. 9 September 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20081014084028/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/10/africa/AF-GEN-Morocco-Elections.php. Retrieved 30 November 2011. 
  4. ^ "Abdelilah Benkirane élu à la tête du PJD". JDM Magazine. http://www.jeunesdumaroc.com/+6889-Abdelillah-Benkirane-elu-a-la-tete+.html. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  5. ^ http://www.france24.com/fr/20111126-pjd-concertations-partis-politique-maroc-abdelilah-benkirane-suffrages-legislatives
  6. ^ "Morocco's new govt targets 5.5 pct GDP growth | Reuters". Reuters.com. 2012-01-19. http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE80I08W20120119. 
  7. ^ "Morocco's new govt targets 5.5 pct GDP growth | Reuters". Reuters.com. 2012-01-19. http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE80I08W20120119. 
  8. ^ "Emerging Leaders: Abdelilah Benkirane, Prime Minister, Morocco | Thomas White International". Thomaswhite.com. 2012-02-07. http://www.thomaswhite.com/explore-the-world/emerging-leaders/abdelilah-benkirane.aspx. 
  9. ^ Knickmeyer, Ellen (7 September 2007). "Islamic Party Confident in Morocco". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602547.html. Retrieved 30 November 2011. 
  10. ^ Hamzawy, Amr (July 2008). "Party for Justice and Development in Morocco: Participation and Its Discontents". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/?fa=view&id=20314. Retrieved 30 November 2011. 
  11. ^ "Arab Political Parties Database: Morocco: Justice and Development party". www.arabparliaments.org. United Nations Development Programme. 15 December 2007. http://www.arabparliaments.org/whatwedo/parties.aspx?cid=12&pid=71. Retrieved 30 November 2011. 

[edit] External links

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