Morocco allows citizens to challenge government decisions

Morocco has approved two bills allowing its citizens to challenge decisions made by the government and its institutions and to propose new laws, the government spokesperson said yesterday.

Morocco’s Minister of Communication and government spokesman Mustapha Al- Khalfi told reporters in the capital Rabat: “The bill allows for the allocation of 25,000 signatures of eligible citizens who register in the election lists to challenge government decisions.”

Spain requires 500,000 signatures and Italy 50,000 signatories in order for citizens to submit petitions.

The minister pointed out that both bills come as part of the principles of participatory democracy under the new constitution.

The two bills are the first of their kind in the Arab world to allow citizens to submit petitions to public authorities and propose new bills that could turn into laws if adopted by the parliament.