ABSTRACT
Since the ascent of King Mohamed VI to the throne in July 1999, most striking has been his ability to preserve and extend the monarchy’s monopoly over the exercise of political and economic power. The authoritarian structures of political rule he inherited from his father remain robust. Many thought or hoped that his controlled political liberalization would lead to the breaking down of the constitutional and informal measures that hamper free political activism and prevent the construction of a stable democracy (Vermeren 2001). But, despite the monarch’s liberalizing streak, democratization has not happened, as the mechanisms of authoritarian rule that have upheld the status quo for decades still persist (Cubertafond 2002: 37-54; 2004: 166-8). In fairness, there have been many positive changes and an undeniable modernization of the monarchy and its relations with society (Mattes 2007). Nevertheless, the institutional and political foundations of the system have not changed. Instead, they have been stabilized and readjusted to cement the regime’s grip on power.
