Moroccan Lawyers End Strike After Government Backs Down on Reform Bill. Rabat, Morocco — Moroccan lawyers ended a week-long strike on Monday, February 16, after the government suspended a bill regulating the legal sector and created a commission tasked with initiating dialogue, the Association of Moroccan Bars (ABAM) confirmed.
According to ABAM, the strike was called in response to a draft law that lawyers believed threatened their independence and autonomy.
The proposed legislation, which included revisions to disciplinary procedures, entry requirements, and oversight mechanisms, was seen as a threat to the independence of the legal profession. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch had promised to “personally take charge “of the bill, working in cooperation with the ABAM, “putting in place a mixed commission “of officials and legal practitioners, according to Omar Mahmoud Bendjelloun, a board member of the ABAM. Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, who initiated the legislation, had presented it as a move to modernize the sector and strengthen anti-corruption measures.
The government had approved the bill’s text in December but has now postponed forwarding it to parliament for a vote. Moroccan lawyers launched a rolling strike several weeks ago to protest the bill, deeming it a threat to their independence and demanding a participatory approach. Early this month, thousands of black-robed lawyers gathered in the capital Rabat for a demonstration against the measure.
A key point of contention was the provision granting the courts direct disciplinary power over lawyers, which is normally handled internally by the bar association. Bendjelloun said the government has since taken “a step back “, opening the door for a “way out of the crisis “. Justice Minister Ouahbi told a parliamentary session earlier this month that the “matter is in your hands “. “.
Let them (the lawyers) give you the changes they want, and I will discuss them with you, “he. “I am ready to drop, modify or reform anything that harms lawyers.”But he added, “The legal profession needs change, and I will implement that change.”.
The government’s decision to create a commission for dialogue was seen as a breakthrough following weeks of strikes and boycotts. Further details are expected as the government and legal profession continue their dialogue.
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*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 4*
