Clashes erupt in Moroccan parliament over Ministers’ absences from weekly sessions

A regular oral question session in Morocco’s House of Representatives descended into disorder on Monday, as tensions flared between members of parliament from both the ruling coalition and the opposition over the recurring absence of several government ministers.

The exchanges became particularly heated when lawmakers challenged the leadership of the session’s chair and questioned the government’s accountability.

Abderrahim Chahid, head of the Socialist Group from the Unionist Opposition, raised a point of order to denounce what he described as the consistent failure of a number of ministers to attend the weekly parliamentary sessions.

He went so far as to name several absent members of the government, calling on the House Bureau to formally urge the executive branch to ensure that ministers fulfill their constitutional duties and appear before the legislature for questioning.

This move drew immediate pushback from the majority benches. Allal El Omrani, leader of the Istiqlal party’s parliamentary group, strongly objected to the naming of ministers during the session, calling it an unprecedented breach of protocol.

He defended some of the absent ministers, particularly those affiliated with his party, arguing that at least one of them was abroad on official duty. El Omrani accused the session’s chair of inflaming tensions and questioned the impartiality of the proceedings.

The confrontation intensified when El Ayachi Farkhfar, also of the Istiqlal group, disrupted the session, prompting a firm and unusually sharp rebuke from Mohamed Ouzzine, the session’s chair. Visibly frustrated, Ouzzine reprimanded the MP for his conduct, accusing him of disrespecting parliamentary decorum and declaring that raising one’s voice does not equate to making a stronger argument.

Mohamed Chouki, head of the National Rally of Independents’ (RNI) parliamentary group, also weighed in, expressing frustration over what he saw as unequal treatment between majority and opposition lawmakers. He criticized the chair for cutting off a procedural intervention from the government side, demanding more balanced moderation.

The heated dispute delayed the questioning session scheduled with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests by approximately twenty minutes.

In an effort to restore calm, Mustapha Baitas, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of relations with Parliament, addressed the chamber, insisting that the government remains committed to parliamentary engagement.

He acknowledged that ministerial absences do occur but emphasized that the government works to ensure replacements are designated when necessary to maintain institutional continuity.

The episode reflected broader frustrations within the legislature over ministerial accountability and parliamentary oversight, with both sides of the aisle calling for more disciplined participation and respect for the chamber’s procedures.