Mohammed VI (Arabic: محمد السادس; born 21 August 1963)[1] is the King of Morocco. He became king on 23 July 1999 after the death of his father, King Hassan II.[2]
| Mohammed VI محمد السادس | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amir al-Mu'minin | |||||
.jpg) Mohammed VI in 2015 | |||||
| King of Morocco | |||||
| Reign | 23 July 1999 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Hassan II | ||||
| Heir apparent | Moulay Hassan | ||||
| Prime Ministers | |||||
| Born | 21 August 1963 Rabat, Morocco | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue Detail | Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco Princess Lalla Khadija | ||||
| |||||
| Arabic | محمد السادس | ||||
| Dynasty | Alaouite | ||||
| Father | Hassan II | ||||
| Mother | Lalla Latifa Hammou | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
In 2015, he was estimated by Forbes magazine to be worth US$5.8 billion,[3] and the Moroccan Royal Family has one of the largest fortunes in the world.[4]
Titles and styles
change- 21 August 1963-23 July 1999: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Morocco
- 23 July 1999-present: His Majesty The King of Morocco
Constitutional Reform from 2011
changeThe revolutionary wave that took over the Arab World in 2011, called the Arab Spring, had also an impact on Morocco. The lack of trust in the political class because of corruption allegations has made the population eager for change. Furthermore the powers granted to the monarch, by the constitution, regarding the appointment of high officials such as the prime minister have represented an issue for the democratization of the regime. Therefore the crown has named a so-called Commission Consultative pour la Re´vision Constitutionnelle (CCRC) with the purpose of framing a new constitution that would limit the power of the monarch and increase the ones of the elected representatives.[5] The civil society, made out of the most important political parties, trade unions, and media, has encouraged the voters to vote “yes”.[6] On the 1 July 2011 the referendum for the constitution passed with an overwhelming majority, 98.5% voting in favor of the new constitution. One of the voters was King Mohammed VI himself.[7]
According to the new constitution the monarch would be forced to appoint the head of government from the ranks of the party that received the most votes.[8][9] The prime-minister would not only receive the title of president of the government, but would also gain executive powers such as implementing laws. This shift of executive powers from the King to the elected officials marks a significant turning point towards a constitutional monarchy.
The judiciary, usually criticized for the lack of independence, has also gained significant autonomy. As promised by the king, the crown would no longer interfere in the criminal justice system.[10]
These changes were embraced, on the international stage, by the Obama administration and the European Union.[11]
However the monarch would still hold important titles within the state such as the head of state, head of the armed forces, and protector of the Islamic faith in Morocco.[12]
Foreign Policy regarding Western Sahara
changeThe early years of the reign of king Mohammed VI saw a stagnation of the issue of Western Sahara. Furthermore the U.N. wanted to organize a referendum in the region that would determine the status of the territory.[13]
However, since 2007 Morocco has managed to shift the wind in its favor and after the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1754, it was made clear that a referendum was no longer viable.[14] The government from Rabat has proposed a decentralized form of governance, with the territory still being under the crown’s sovereignty.[15]
Only a few days before leaving office in 2020, President Donald Trump signed a Joint Declaration between Morocco, the United States, and Israel. This normalized Moroccan-Israeli ties and the United States formally recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.[16] The US began to formally support Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole basis for resolving the long-standing Western Sahara conflict. This recognition marked a significant American policy shift.
Since then, Morocco has gained significant regional and international support for its sovereignty over Western Sahara, with influential states and several European countries, which include Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Hungary, Cyprus and Romania, backing its autonomy initiative. The unwavering U.S. stance and European endorsements have strengthened Morocco’s diplomatic position and partnerships.[17]
References
change- ↑ "King Mohammed Ben Al-Hassan". Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ↑ "World: Africa Mohammed VI takes Moroccan throne". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ↑ "In Pictures: World's Richest Royals". Forbes. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ↑ Pendleton, Devon; Serafin, Tatiana (30 August 2007). "In Pictures: The World's Richest Royals". Forbes.
- ↑ Driss Maghraoui, "Constitutional reforms in Morocco: between consensus and subaltern politics," The Journal of North African Studies 16, no. 4 (2011): 692.
- ↑ Driss Maghraoui, "Constitutional reforms in Morocco: between consensus and subaltern politics," The Journal of North African Studies 16, no. 4 (2011): 686.
- ↑ "Morocco approves King Mohammed's constitutional reforms". BBC News. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ↑ Constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco, 2011, art. 47
- ↑ "King relinquishes some powers". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ↑ "Morocco approves King Mohammed's constitutional reforms". BBC News. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ↑ Driss Maghraoui, "Constitutional reforms in Morocco: between consensus and subaltern politics," The Journal of North African Studies 16, no. 4 (2011): 679.
- ↑ "Morocco approves King Mohammed's constitutional reforms". BBC News. 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2025-05-14.
- ↑ Bennis, Samir (2024-08-01). "Western Sahara Diplomacy Is Already One of King Mohammed VI's Lasting Legacies". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ↑ Bennis, Samir (2024-08-01). "Western Sahara Diplomacy Is Already One of King Mohammed VI's Lasting Legacies". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
- ↑ Ben-Meir, Yossef (2010). "Morocco's Regionalization "Roadmap" and the Western Sahara". International Journal on World Peace. 27 (2): 63–86. ISSN 0742-3640.
- ↑ Kingdom of Morocco, United States of America, & State of Israel. (2020, December 22). Joint Declaration.
- ↑ "HM the King delivers a speech to the Nation on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
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