Abbas El Fassi
Encyclopedia
Abbas El Fassi was the Prime Minister of Morocco from 19 September 2007 to 29 November 2011. El Fassi, a member of the Istiqlal Party
, replaced independent Driss Jettou
.
El Fassi was born in Berkane
, Morocco on September 18, 1940. He served as the Minister of Housing from 1977 to 1981, Minister of Handicraft and Social Affairs from 1981 to 1985, Ambassador to Tunisia
and the Arab League
from 1985 to 1990, Ambassador to France
from 1990 to 1994, and as Minister of Employment, Professional training, Social Development and Solidarity from 2000 to 2002. He then took up the post of Minister of State in the Jettou government from 2002 to 2007. King Mohammed VI appointed El Fassi as Prime Minister on September 19, 2007 following Istiqlal's victory in the parliamentary elections
on September 7.
His government was appointed by Mohammed VI on October 15, with 33 members (not including El Fassi), including seven women. Five political parties were included in this government: Istiqlal, liberal Mouvement Populaire (MP), the Socialist Union of Popular Forces
(USFP), the National Rally of Independents
(RNI), and the Party of Progress and Socialism
(PPS).
's political pamphlet "Notre ami, le roi", about human rights abuses in Morocco, was published in France. Ties between Morocco and France deteriorated with the publication of the book.
As Minister of Employment, Abbas el Fassi was implicated in the Annajat Scandal, which resulted in four suicides, twelve persons jailed and 90,0000 victims of financial fraud through fictitious employment contracts.
Istiqlal Party
The Istiqlal or Independence Party is a political party in Morocco...
, replaced independent Driss Jettou
Driss Jettou
-Early life and education:Jettou was born in the town of El-Jadida. After secondary studies at El Khawarizmi college in Casablanca, he obtained a technical Baccalauréat in mathematics in 1964. He then joined the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat where he graduated in physics and chemistry in 1966...
.
El Fassi was born in Berkane
Berkane
Berkane is a city in the northeastern Morocco in the area of Thrifa, limited by the Mediterranean to its north, the Kiss Oued and the wilaya of Oujda in the east, the wilaya of Nador in the west and the wilaya of Taourirt in the south. This common belongs to the wilaya of Oujda...
, Morocco on September 18, 1940. He served as the Minister of Housing from 1977 to 1981, Minister of Handicraft and Social Affairs from 1981 to 1985, Ambassador to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
from 1985 to 1990, Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1990 to 1994, and as Minister of Employment, Professional training, Social Development and Solidarity from 2000 to 2002. He then took up the post of Minister of State in the Jettou government from 2002 to 2007. King Mohammed VI appointed El Fassi as Prime Minister on September 19, 2007 following Istiqlal's victory in the parliamentary elections
Moroccan parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections were held in Morocco on 7 September 2007, the second of King Mohammed VI's reign. Voter turnout was estimated to be 37%, the lowest in Moroccan political history. There were 33 different parties and 13 independent candidates competing for 325 assembly seats...
on September 7.
His government was appointed by Mohammed VI on October 15, with 33 members (not including El Fassi), including seven women. Five political parties were included in this government: Istiqlal, liberal Mouvement Populaire (MP), the Socialist Union of Popular Forces
Socialist Union of Popular Forces
The Socialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP, is a social democratic political party in Morocco...
(USFP), the National Rally of Independents
National Rally of Independents
The National Rally of Independents is a political party in Morocco, founded in 1978 by former Prime Minister Ahmed Osman, husband of a sister of King Hassan II....
(RNI), and the Party of Progress and Socialism
Party of Progress and Socialism
The Party of Progress and Socialism is a political party in Morocco. The party was founded by Ali Yata in 1974.In the parliamentary election held on 27 September 2002, the party won 11 out of 325 seats...
(PPS).
Controversies
Abbas el Fassi was Moroccan Ambassador to France when Gilles PerraultGilles Perrault
Gilles Perrault is a left-wing French writer and journalist.He attended the Collège Stanislas de Paris and then studied at the Institut d'études politiques, eventually becoming a lawyer, a profession he worked in for five years....
's political pamphlet "Notre ami, le roi", about human rights abuses in Morocco, was published in France. Ties between Morocco and France deteriorated with the publication of the book.
As Minister of Employment, Abbas el Fassi was implicated in the Annajat Scandal, which resulted in four suicides, twelve persons jailed and 90,0000 victims of financial fraud through fictitious employment contracts.