Opinion: Morocco’s political strength lies in is ability to listen and act with wisdom

Morocco has long been a land of wisdom and rationality, a country that knows how to emerge from the storms of crises and adversities with the power of cohesion and unity. 

At all critical historical junctures, there have always been wise men and leaders who invoke the voice of reason and put it above all others. Today, as we live in a delicate circumstance on the political, economic, social and human rights levels, this wise legacy remains more present and necessary than ever before.

Yes, Morocco is a country that does not break in the face of crises. Every time the noose tightens and adversity grows, the voice of wisdom emerges from the nothing, and the language of reason predominates echos.

Moroccans are aware, through experience, that this dear country is fortified with statesmen who know when to say “enough is enough” and when to open the door to reform and change.

The Moroccan state is not a separate entity from the pulse of society. We are accustomed to the fact that it listens well and interacts well with its major issues, is good at reading the public mood, and chooses the moments of intelligent interaction with citizens, realizing that social peace and national cohesion are not an option, but rather an existential necessity. This has strengthened the country’s stability amid a highly sensitive, complex and turbulent regional and international environment. 

Today, the Moroccan citizen is no longer hostage to official media or a single voice. The digital revolution has broken down high walls and created a mature collective consciousness that follows, analyzes, and practices, and has contributed to the formation of a vibrant and effective Moroccan public opinion that exerts its legitimate pressure at a time when information is the property of everyone. Therefore, the state finds itself forced to listen, and is cognizant that this public opinion is a partner in the equation of stability.

Morocco has learned, with rare intelligence in its regional setting, how to manage major crises and create the “Moroccan exception.” Remember well that defining moment when society was divided between two million marches: One in Rabat and one in Casablanca, and the thorny issue was the family code. On that day, the state did not take sides, but triumphed for the family in its comprehensive concept, where women’s dignity, men’s rights and children’s interests meet at a rare point of equilibrium.

Then came the Equity and Reconciliation Experiment, which some considered at the time to be a risky venture, but strong will, wisdom and foresight prevailed to tell the world that Morocco decided to face its past with courage and offer a unique model of transitional justice at the international level.

When the “People’s Spring” or what is known as the “Arab Spring” swept the region, and regimes fell like autumn leaves, Morocco was writing its own path. Reform instead of rupture, prudence instead of adventure. The state did not go along with either the radical left or political Islam, but rather bet on the consolidation of the state of institutions and the pillars of the emerging democracy. By dealing intelligently with the “Arab Spring” wave, the country avoided the pitfalls of violence and wars, and favored the mindset of reform over confrontation.

Today, at the height of the alarming social and economic crisis, when monopoly lobbies seemed to be pushing the country to the brink of the abyss and the risk of explosion, His Majesty King Mohammed VI intervened with his well-known wisdom and decided to cancel the Eid al-Adha ritual, recognizing the gravity of the moment and protecting the purchasing power of citizens. 

At another precise moment when Morocco’s human rights file was the focus of international attention, he pardoned a number of detained journalists, in a clear response to attempts to subvert Morocco’s human rights image internationally.

Unfortunately, there are those who are still betting on pulling the rope backwards. There are those who dream of taking Morocco back to the time of fear, the time of muzzling mouths and stereotyping society. They forget that Moroccans today are not silent figures, but free citizens, defending their right to free speech and critical thinking, and they will not allow a return to the past.

Yes, the situation is difficult. Brutal global capitalism is eating away at countries’ economies, and its repercussions are visible here: Lobbies that monopolize the market, inflated prices, corruption that has almost become a culture… This structural imbalance reflects directly on the media and political body, and increases the tension in the public sphere.

Today, more than ever before, these challenges call for the presence of wise men in the political and media scene to defend democratic gains and protect societal peace.

 Morocco is betting on the smart people. Those who raise their voices in the face of absurdity, in defense of stability, security and national cohesion, away from the calculations of gain and loss. Because the nation is not measured by the scale of immediate interest, but by the scale of history, which fairly records that Morocco, when governed by reason, always triumphs.

Moroccan history is full of lessons that emphasize the triumph of wisdom and reason in all difficult times. Today, we need this same reformist spirit, and this deep sense of the country’s interest above all else. The wise men are present, their voice is present and balanced, and will continue to be the bulwark against all those who try to threaten Morocco’s unity, stability and social peace. Because the interest of the country, as it has always been, is the compass that does not go astray.

Wisdom has never been a weakness; it has been and remains Morocco’s secret weapon in the face of storms.

Yes, wisdom is not a choice between options, but a renewed Moroccan destiny that embodies its exceptionalism. This is why Morocco will continue to listen to the voice of the wise, whose only interest is that of the nation.