Morocco’s Head of Government position, also known as the Prime Minister, was created in 1955. Since then, 17 different individuals have held this position.
The Prime Minister leads the government and helps carry out the country’s policies. Mohammed Karim Lamrani is notable for serving as Prime Minister three times, although not consecutively. In Morocco’s history, there have also been two periods where the King ruled directly without a Prime Minister.
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List Of Morocco’s Head Of Government Since 1955
Name | Tenure | Poltical Party |
---|---|---|
Mbarek Bekkay | 7 Dec 1955 - 12 May 1958 | Independent |
Ahmed Balafrej | 12 May 1958 - 16 Dec 1958 | Istiqlal Party |
Abdallah Ibrahim | 16 Dec 1958 - 20 May 1960 | Istiqlal Party |
Ahmed Bahnini | 24 Dec 1958 - 20 May 1960 | Istiqlal Party |
Mohamed Benhima | 13 Nov 1963 - 8 Nov 1965 | Istiqlal Party |
Ahmed Laraki | 6 Jul 1967 - 7 Oct 1969 | Istiqlal Party |
Ahmed Osman | 7 Oct 1969 - 4 Aug 1971 | Istiqlal Party |
Mohammed Karim Lamrani | 5 Nov 1971 - 30 Nov 1983 | Istiqlal Party |
Maati Bouabid | 10 Oct 1977 - 27 Mar 1979 | Istiqlal Party |
Azzeddine Laraki | 30 Sep 1986 - 10 Aug 1992 | Istiqlal Party |
Abdellatif Filali | (1994 - 1998) | Istiqlal Party |
Abderrahmane Youssoufi | (1998 - 2002) | Socialist Union |
Driss Jettou | (2002 - 2007) | Istiqlal Party |
Abbas El Fassi | (2007 - 2012) | Istiqlal Party |
Abdelilah Benkirane | (2011 - April,2017) | Justice and Development Party |
Saadeddine Othmani | (April,2017 - October,2021) | Justice and Development Party |
Aziz Akhannouch | October,2021 - Present | National Rally of Independents |
Who Was The First Morocco Head Of Government?
Mbarek Bekkay was the first head of government of Morocco after the country gained its independence from France and Spain.
He became Prime Minister on December 7, 1955, and served until April 15, 1958. Bekkay was born on April 18, 1907, in Berkane, a town in northeastern Morocco.
He came from the Berber Béni-Snassen tribe and had a military background. Bekkay joined the army after attending the Military School of Dar El Beida, now known as the military academy of Meknes.
During World War II, he served as a lieutenant colonel and was wounded in battle. His injury led to the amputation of his leg, and he was captured by the Germans but later freed.
After the war, he continued his military career and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1953. Bekkay was also known for his political involvement.
In 1953, he protested against the deposition of Sultan Mohammed V, which led him to resign from his position as Pasha of Sefrou.
He felt it was wrong for the French to remove the Sultan, so he resigned in protest. Bekkay played a big part in Morocco’s independence movement.
He signed the act of independence on March 2, 1956, which officially ended the French and Spanish protectorates over Morocco.
As Prime Minister, Bekkay led the country during its transition to independence, but his time in office was seen by political struggles. In 1958, he resigned due to a crisis involving the refusal of the People’s Movement Party to accept his leadership.
Bekkay’s health declined after he left office, and he died on April 12, 1961, just 45 days after King Mohammed V passed away.
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Who Is The Current Morocco Head of Government?
The current head of government in Morocco is Aziz Akhannouch. He became the 17th Prime Minister of Morocco on October 7, 2021.
Akhannouch was appointed by King Mohammed VI after his political party, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), won the most seats in the 2021 general election. His party took 102 out of 395 seats in the Moroccan parliament.
This was the downfall of the previous ruling party, the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which lost a significant number of seats.
Akhannouch had already been a prominent figure in Moroccan politics before becoming Prime Minister. He served as the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries from 2007 to 2021.
During his time as minister, he worked on the Green Morocco Plan, a project that improved the country’s agricultural sector.
Apart from his political career, Akhannouch is also a successful businessman. He is the CEO of Akwa Group, a large Moroccan conglomerate involved in industries like oil and gas.
Forbes estimated his wealth to be around $2 billion in 2020, making him one of the wealthiest people in Africa. Akhannouch’s family has a long history of business, and he inherited the Akwa Group from his father.
However, his time as Prime Minister has not been without controversy. Some critics have accused him of corruption and have raised concerns about his close ties with the monarchy. His government has also faced challenges, including dealing with inflation and limiting free speech in the country.