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The Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Publishers has criticized the government’s push, led by Communication Minister Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, to pass Bill No. 26.09 on reorganizing the National Press Council, despite broad opposition from journalists’ and publishers’ organizations, as well as human rights groups, political parties, and trade unions.
The criticism comes as the Education, Culture, and Communication Committee in the House of Representatives continues examining the bill on Tuesday, April 28, reviewing amendments and voting on its articles amid growing controversy.
In a statement, the Federation urged MPs to assume their «historic» responsibility in safeguarding press freedom and the independence of the self-regulatory body, calling for the bill to be rejected. It argued that moving forward with the text reflects «obstinacy» and a lack of genuine political will for dialogue.
The Federation also denounced what it described as «political and managerial blindness» by the ministry, accusing it of bypassing the Constitutional Court’s ruling, failing to engage in meaningful consultation with professional bodies, and maintaining a unilateral approach.
It stressed that the court’s decision to strike down parts of the bill, along with the unresolved status of the temporary committee and the resulting legal and administrative vacuum, undermine what it called a «hegemonic» approach by the government.
The organization further pointed to shortcomings in managing public support and referred to a «scandal revealed by a circulated video», saying the government appears determined to pass the bill regardless.
Finally, the Federation warned that the reform threatens the independence of press self-regulation, criticizing criteria such as turnover and capital size for representation, and cautioning that sidelining unions could weaken the sector’s future structure.
