Istiqlal Party Calls for a New Social Contract in Morocco

Istiqlal party sec-gen Nizar Baraka (File photo: AFP)
Istiqlal party sec-gen Nizar Baraka (File photo: AFP)
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Istiqlal Party Calls for a New Social Contract in Morocco

Istiqlal party sec-gen Nizar Baraka (File photo: AFP)
Istiqlal party sec-gen Nizar Baraka (File photo: AFP)

Morocco’s opposition Istiqlal party hopes the new electoral laws approved by the parliament will open the door to a “new democratic rotation.”

Istiqlal’s Sec-Gen Nizar Baraka called for establishing a new social contract based on an approach that includes all factions in the country and without discrimination.

Speaking during the party's central committee meeting, Baraka was optimistic about the new laws in enhancing the democratic system and establishing real competition with a balanced political scene.

Istiqlal is looking forward to launching political reforms workshops to further localize the democratic option, protect rights, launch mechanisms that enhance confidence in political action, and prepare for the electoral process.

The upcoming elections must constitute an opportunity for citizens to conduct a real evaluation of the government's performance, said Baraka, calling on all Moroccans to express their will based on transparent democratic mechanisms.

He wanted the new democratic path to spread hope for a better tomorrow in the country, and bring about the desired change, in reference to the party’s aim to win the elections and remove the Islamist Justice and Development party, which has dominated the government since the 2011 elections.

The party’s central committee issued a statement calling for a “new social contract” that establishes a new generation of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights that ensure a decent life for all citizens based on the principles of equality, equity, and solidarity.

The committee pointed out that the royal decree to extend social coverage constitutes a real social revolution, and a pillar in the new development model.

It called for providing all kinds of mechanisms and conditions to ensure its success.



Syria and Neighbors Urge Israel to Stop Bombings

Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
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Syria and Neighbors Urge Israel to Stop Bombings

Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Merkava tanks in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 08 May 2025. (EPA)

The foreign ministers of Syria, Türkiye and Jordan, meeting Monday in Ankara, called on Israel to cease attacks on Syria and to withdraw troops from the country.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December, often targeting military sites and killing dozens of people.

Israeli officials have also described Syria's new authorities as extremists and claimed to defend the country's Druze minority with a recent spate of attacks.

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a press conference with his Jordanian and Syrian counterparts that "Israel's expansionism poses a significant threat to the security, stability and future of Syria."

"This must come to an end. And we are on the same page about this. Syria needs to be supported to prevent terrorist organizations from settling in this region," Fidan added, noting that Syria shares a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Türkiye.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told the joint press conference that "our borders are constantly violated by Israeli attacks".

The Israeli strikes are "calculated escalations aimed at destabilizing Syria and dragging the region into a new cycle of conflict", Shaibani said, decrying "systematic violations of international law and explicit provocations".

He called on the international community to put Israel under "increased pressure" to halt the bombings.

Jordan's top diplomat, Ayman Safadi, said attacks on Syrian soil "will not bring security to Israel and will bring nothing to Syria except ruin and destruction".