Three Moroccan ministers resign, reshuffle imminent

Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane yesterday asked three ministers to resign, the Royal Court announced.

According to the Anadolu Agency, the Royal Court said that the King accepted the demands for the resignations and asked the PM to nominate new people for the positions.

Minister of Relations with the Parliament and Civil Society Lahbib Choubani and Minister Delegate to the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training Soumiya Benkhaldoun were among the three ministers who resigned.

The ministers, who are husband and wife, are from Development and Justice Party. Their marriage caused a controversy in the society because Choubani is already married and the family code adopted in the country in 2004 restricts polygamy.

The third minister is the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training Aziz Bin Farrouj. He is from the Popular Movement, an ally of the Development and Justice Party.

The Royal Court also asked the PM to nominate a sports and youths minister after the latter was fired by the King in the wake of the controversy surrounding the timetable of football matches.