Morocco’s Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit on Friday rejected claims that state authorities interfered in the 2021 legislative elections, insisting that recent amendments to electoral laws do not imply any wrongdoing in previous polls.
Speaking before the House of Councillors’ Committee on Interior, Territorial Communities and Infrastructure, Laftit said it is “within the rights of some actors to express doubts,” but stressed that the reforms aim to strengthen integrity, adding that “preventing harm is better than seeking benefit.”
The minister described Article 6 of draft organic law 53.25, amending the law governing the House of Representatives, as the “core” of the reform, underscoring the government’s commitment to reinforcing ethical conduct in electoral processes. “Suspicion destroys politics,” he said, “even though political practice is fundamentally noble.”
Laftit said the draft law followed extensive consultations and that it was impossible to adopt all proposals. He added that the current version “is suitable for everyone,” and invited lawmakers to put forward any additional amendments that would reinforce constitutional institutions and political parties.
Responding to criticism related to the presumption of innocence, Laftit argued that the debate should not overshadow the primary objective of protecting the legislature. He noted that any temporary ineligibility for candidacy remains time-bound, allowing individuals to run in future elections once their legal situation is resolved.
The minister also addressed other issues linked to the House of Representatives, including the possibility of increasing the number of seats. “We have no objection to having more,” he said. He added that parliamentary allowances are “from another era” and no longer offer the comfortable status they once did, an issue that, he noted, also affects members of the House of Councillors and parliamentary staff.
On the participation of young people, Laftit said the government has designed a new mechanism that also encourages the nomination of independents. He remarked that political parties should ideally agree to nominate young candidates within the same constituencies, warning that some measures were introduced to prevent “any form of dilution” in this area.
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