Surprising Election Result in Morocco Opens New Doors
Charlotte Everitt
Moderate Muslims in Morocco are seeking a modus vivendi with Western ruling elites, reports the ISA Consulting Group. Recent parliamentary elections yielded a surprise victory for the secular nationalist Istiqlal party over the PDJ (Islamic Justice and Development Party) and the result suggests important progress towards the incorporation of political Islam in Arab states and the tempering of radical Islamic tendencies. The article explains how Europe and the US can contribute to the reform process: assisting development of Mahgreb states in return for progressive steps towards divestment of powers. Given al-Qaeda’s increasing activities in North Africa, discourse with Islamist parties is a necessity and the opportunity for rapprochement must not be missed.
