Report: 63% of MPs absent from third legislative year sessions

In its latest report assessing parliamentary legislative initiatives, the “SimSim Citizen Participation” association revealed that up to 63% of parliamentarians were absent during legislative sessions in the past year.

The report reveals that the highest attendance rate, which stands at 59,24%, was recorded during the first reading of the 2024 Finance Bill. 

On the other hand, the lowest attendance level (25.32%) occurred during the June 24, 2024, session, where several legal texts, including two proposals from the Authenticity and Modernity Party, were approved.

The overall average attendance for MPs during legislative sessions in the third year of the current term was 37.28%.

The report also noted a decline in legislative initiatives by parliamentary groups over the last three years. During the first year of the current government, 170 legislative proposals were submitted, compared to 84 in the second year and just 70 in the third year. 

Of those 70 proposals, only one was approved. However, 10 proposals from previous years were also passed, resulting in a proposal approval rate of 13.6%.

SimSim pointed out that the opposition outperformed the majority in terms of proposed laws. The Socialist Group – Ittihadi Opposition led with 27 proposals, followed by the Popular Movement (22), the Justice and Development Group (8), and the Party of Progress and Socialism (2). The Constitutional Democratic Social Group did not submit any proposals.

In contrast, the majority submitted only 10 legislative proposals—5 each from the Istiqlal of Unity and Egalitarianism Group and the National Rally of Independents Group. The Authenticity and Modernity Group submitted no proposals, and non-affiliated MPs only submitted one proposal.

Similarly, opposition groups led in proposed amendments to laws. The Justice and Development Group, though the smallest in size, proposed 128 amendments, followed by The Socialist Group – Ittihadi Opposition (55) and the Popular Movement (42). 

The most submitted amendments by the majority was 31, by the National Rally of Independents. Neither the Authenticity and Modernity Party nor the Constitutional Democratic and Social Bloc proposed any amendments.

Most of the proposals examined fell under the scope of the Justice, Legislation, and Human Rights Committee, with 19 submissions. The Interior, Local Authorities, Housing, and Urban Policy Committee, along with the Social Sectors Committee, each received 10 proposals. 

The Finance and Economic Development Committee received 9, followed by the Education, Culture, and Communication Committee (8), and the Productive Sectors Committee (7). 

The Infrastructure, Energy, Mining, and Environment Committee and the Public Finance Control Committee both received four proposals. While no proposals were submitted to the Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Islamic Affairs, and Moroccans Expatriates Committee.

In total, the House of Representatives approved 36 legislative texts, including both proposals and bills. Of these, 20 were passed unanimously, while 16 were approved by a majority vote.