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As the September 23 legislative elections approach, Abdelilah Benkirane is setting the stage for the pre-campaign period. During a rally organized by the PJD in Essaouira last weekend, the party’s secretary-general renewed his criticism of certain advisers to King Mohammed VI, with a particular focus on André Azoulay.
«The city doesn't belong to Azoulay. It belongs to God, Morocco, and our King,» he asserted to a gathering of PJD activists.
Benkirane praised King Mohammed VI, cautioning against some royal advisers who, he claimed, «hide behind the King, while Moroccans unanimously say: Mohammed VI alone is our King. Please, do not intimidate us — whether it’s André Azoulay, Fouad Ali El Himma, or anyone else,» he declared.
The PJD leader further lauded the monarch’s efforts, describing him as a «bulwark» against «the danger posed by the powerful».
«It is in the interest of the King and his family not to permit the powerful to become tyrannical,» he stated, alluding to events that have shaken several neighboring countries in the Middle East and Africa. «Without the King, this country would have suffered the same fate,» he added in front of a supportive audience.
Benkirane’s critique of royal advisers is not new. In June 2015, while serving as head of government, he told PJD youth members: «My relationship is with the King, not with his advisers.» At that time, he emphasized that their role was limited to «conveying the sovereign’s instructions».
Three years earlier, Benkirane had already declared that «there is no contact between him and the King’s advisers». He acknowledged then that «things are not moving in the right direction», lamenting the «lack of communication» between himself and the royal circle.
