VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0117/01 1731638
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221638Z JUN 07
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7752
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 2901
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 0238
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0792
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 0015
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0255
RUEHLC/AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE 0033
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0282
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3735
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 2263
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 8017
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 2028
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0562
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0073

C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND NEA/PI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2017 
TAGS: ECON EFIN KDEM MO
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS WILL NOT AFFECT MOROCCAN ECONOMY 
 
Classified By: Principal Officer Doug Greene for reasons 1.4 (B) AND 
(D) 
 
REF: RABAT 00852 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In general, Casablancans feel that Morocco's 
political parties lack well-defined economic platforms as they go 
into the final three months before the September parliamentary 
election.  This is due in part to the fact that many parties are old 
and have no tradition of presenting economic programs.  In addition, 
only the educated elite, not average citizens, expect parties to 
detail economic plans.  A few parties, however, are seeking 
information on the economy and have begun to outline economic 
programs.  Nevertheless, our interlocutors stress, it is the King and 
his ministers, not parliament, who determine economic policy, and 
Moroccans do not believe elections will impact the economy.  Those 
with a role in creating economic platforms seem to believe that the 
value is as much in going through the motions as providing a coherent 
economic plan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------- 
PARTIES LACK ECONOMIC PLATFORMS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Many Casablancans feel that political parties preparing for 
parliamentary elections in early September do not have well-defined 
economic platforms.  Some attribute this to the fact that many of 
Morocco's more prominent parties are nearly fifty years old, and have 
not had economic platforms in the past.  As one Moroccan put it, "Why 
start now?" 
 
¶3. (SBU) Not only are the parties old, but so are their leaders. 
According to one young attorney, parties are often controlled by 
elderly figures who 'still live in the Stone Age.'  While candidates 
may talk broadly about issues such as unemployment and inflation, 
they generally do not have well-articulated, concrete programs. 
 
¶4. (C) The lack of economic platforms may also reflect the feeling 
that only the educated and elite are interested in such things.  The 
average Moroccan cares more about purchasing power and the cost of 
living than encouraging investment and increasing GDP.  The attorney 
mentioned above anticipates that some candidates will buy votes from 
people in poor areas, as they have done in the past.  Such people 
will care little about electoral processes and economic programs, but 
will appreciate the twenty dollars they might get for their vote. 
 
------------------------------------- 
SOME PARTIES OUTLINE ECONOMIC AGENDAS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Though Moroccans are generally skeptical that parties have 
economic platforms, certain parties do seem to be creating programs. 
The President of the Center for Young Business Leaders (CJD) says 
that many party officials have come to his organization to learn 
about projects and talk to entrepreneurs.  In addition, several 
parties, including the center-left Socialist Union of Popular Forces 
(USFP), have invited the CJD to share their economic insight. 
Similarly, an individual who works in financial services has been 
asked by a friend to participate in an economic brainstorming session 
with the nationalist Istiqlal party.  Even if most parties are not 
expected to present detailed economic plans, some are certainly 
making an effort to learn about Morocco's economic outlook. 
 
¶6. (SBU) A few parties have publicly presented their economic 
platforms. On June 15, the journal L'Economiste published a four-page 
article entitled, "Istiqlal: Details of the Economic Program."  In 
the article, Nazar Baraka of the party's executive committee explains 
the program and answers questions.  On June 18, L'Economiste outlined 
the economic plan of the center-left labor party, Le Parti 
Travailliste (PT).  The plan's creator, Hammad Kassal, is not only 
President of the PT's economic and financial commission, but also an 
experienced entrepreneur and Vice President of the Confederation of 
Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), a powerful business-interest group. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
ELECTIONS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT ECONOMY 
---------------------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) Whether or not parties present economic platforms, there is 
widespread belief among Casablancans that this year's parliamentary 
elections will not affect the economy, regardless of outcome.  To 
begin with, Moroccans expect little from elections since the King 
appoints all ministers and has the final word in matters such as 
setting economic policy.  In essence, his choices and views are more 
significant than party platforms. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Because of the palace's power, many find no correlation 
between politics and economics in Morocco.  A young Moroccan who 
works in the banking sector noted that in India, for example, a 
change in parliament would cause the stock market to rise.  No such 
phenomenon exists in Morocco, where people do not believe that 
parliament could make a difference.  Furthermore, parliamentarians 
are not in the habit of debating complex economic issues, or creating 
and lobbying for elaborate plans, as this process happens elsewhere 
in the government. 
 
¶9. (C) COMMENT: On the whole, political parties in Morocco do not 
offer well-defined economic programs and voters do not expect them 
to.  The only individuals who seem to put stock in economic platforms 
are those with a role in crafting them.  Hammad Kassal, for example, 
says he hopes political parties will make a difference, though he 
acknowledges that many are old and lack content.  Similarly, Baraka 
says that even though voters tend to ignore platforms, his party will 
present them nonetheless.  While the Casablancans we spoke with 
believe that economic platforms and elections will change nothing, 
there are a few among them who hold out hope that, by going through 
the motions of creating genuine programs, change might eventually 
come.  END COMMENT. 
 
GREENE