[Ennahar] Prince Moulay Hicham El Alaoui, cousin of King Mohammed VI called for the democratization of the system and provided support to thousands of Moroccans who marched Sunday to demand political reform."Personally, I support any initiative that calls for the democratization of our political system, taking into account the necessity that this be done in a peaceful and tolerant manner. In this case, it seems that this movement has all these conditions and so I joined it," the prince said during an interview on news channel La Belle France 24.
Thousands of Moroccans protesting Sunday in Casablanca and Rabat to the call of the movement "20 February" launched on the social networking site Facebook, calling for political reforms and limiting the powers of the king, first movement of this kind in the country since the early revolts that shook the Arab world.
"People today want to see progress, political reform, in a monarchy," said the king's cousin, aged 46, who ranks third in succession to the throne of Morocco and is nicknamed the "rebel prince" because he is happy to criticize the Moroccan monarchy and the political system in this country.
"From a legal and constitutional, the monarchy is absolute, but that does not mean that the political system is closed or totalitarian. It is a soft authoritarian system," said the prince, who
Moulay Hicham El Alaoui also wished to "perpetuate the monarchy," he deems "legitimate and culturally rooted," an evolution toward a constitutional monarchy like Spain or Britain.
The Prince has denied any role in a possible political transition he wishes: "The aiguillonage yes, piloting does not concern me."