Morocco changes offer U.S. “very important opportunity”

other less well organized but influential and even more emphatically Islamic political organizations. Whether secular political forces in Egypt can organize themselves around the many different ideological perspectives that characterize Egypt’s various political currents and, at the same time, find a way to make common cause among themselves, and simultaneously work with more moderate elements of the Brotherhood remains to be seen. Of course, the role of the Egyptian military in this calculus also remains a wild card that threatens to complicate, if not trump outright, any future political developments in Egypt. Many analysts remain concerned that secular democratic forces in Egypt face a difficult challenge in consolidating a common position within and organizational structure that will allow them to compete effectively.

In Libya the situation is even more confusing where competing tribal loyalties and a rise in Islamist organizations occupy a political space that is in its infancy in terms of developing a course for the future of that country. The civil war that has hopefully now reached a conclusion has nevertheless left various groups armed and reluctant to abandon their weapons in circumstances that remain ill defined and uncertain. Tensions between parties and militias based on tribal, religious, and political concerns are being played out without a clear indication of the results.

HSNW: Given that the Justice and Development Party was first founded in 1998 and has been largely loyal to the King, do you expect the party to propose sweeping changes? What sort of economic, religious, social, and political policies in particular will the new government focus on?

RH: Most knowledgeable observers of Moroccan politics do not expect that a PJD led government will propose any sweeping changes. PJD has very consistently, since its establishment in 1998, focused its attention on the need for transparency, justice, good governance, and accountability in public life. In the last decade the party has developed a reputation for taking seriously its responsibilities in Parliament and local government. Some observers have expressed concern that the advances made in the establishment of equal rights for women in Morocco could face setbacks under a PJD government, but such concerns are likely exaggerated. PJD supported the reforms made to Morocco’s Family Law code granting greater rights to women. And, importantly, PJD must govern in a coalition arrangement with other political parties that damage would be very unlikely to follow PJD in any direction that might seem to run