Address of Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco, Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami On behalf of the Moroccan Representation at the 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Honorable President,
Esteemed colleagues, Speakers of legislative institutions and members of delegations,
Distinguished Secretary General,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like, on behalf of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco, to thank the Spanish authorities and the Spanish Parliament for hosting this 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. I wish to commend the ability of this country as a friend, a neighbor, and a partner for hosting this Assembly and ensuring its success in the midst of the difficult context imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, this pandemic has brought about - and continues to cause – repercussions that would engender profound changes in public policies, economic and social structures, work methods, and mainly in priorities.
Our Union did well to choose “Contemporary challenges to democracy: Overcoming division and building community” as the main focus of the general debate of this Assembly. The Covid-19 pandemic has deepened social and regional disparities within countries, between members of the international community, between the North and the South, and between rich and poor nations. Therefore, divisions have increased, polarizations have intensified, and there has been a growing chorus of disapproval and protest, in the South as well as in the North.
This situation has compounded the challenges already facing representative democracy. In this respect, inward-looking populist currents found fertile ground to take root and expand, while ‘sovereignty-based’ trends found new - albeit unfounded - reasons to revive protectionist rhetoric and instill them in people’s collective sub consciousness.
Concurrently with this line of thinking, which now has followers in the North as well as in the South, a sense of injustice, marginalization, and exclusion is becoming entrenched among large segments of the world’s population, especially in the South. The pandemic has exacerbated the signs of poverty and placed a heavy burden on the already fragile health systems and services. It has also increased the pressure on public resources, which were already limited.
This feeling has been amplified by the inadequacy - not to say the weakness – of international solidarity in the face of the pandemic, particularly with African and Latin American peoples. This was made abundantly clear when countries sought to secure anti-Covid19 vaccines. It is also confirmed by vaccination rates in the African continent, to which my country belongs. I should like, in this respect, to emphasize the right of African peoples to have access to vaccines and medicines.
Honorable President,
Esteemed Colleagues,
It seems to me that it would be appropriate to wonder, in the light of both ancient, modern, and contemporary history, if representative democracy was not, and will not be a pressing societal need and an institutional imperative.
Even when the pandemic was raging across the world, parliamentary work was a top priority because of the need to pass the required and appropriate laws, protect rights and freedoms, approve budgets to finance the economy, and authorize spending in that peculiar context. History has taught us that since Ancient Athens, that is 25 centuries ago, that public democratic debate is, in fact, a political and societal necessity.
Was it not pluralistic representative democracy that enabled the world to overcome the acute crises of the post-World War II period? Is it not true that representative democracy is the political answer sought today by peoples plagued by internal conflicts and terrorism?
Honorable President,
According to some theories, institutional representative democracy, as embodied by parliaments, has run out of steam and is ebbing. At the same time, trends that are hostile to parliamentary representative and institutional democracy exacerbate this state of weakness.
There seems to be some truth in such a claim, and it is up to us – parliamentarians and elites - to continue to believe strongly in the need to give a new strategic impetus to democracy. We must ensure that the work of parliaments is practical and effective, for democracy is our main bulwark against chaos and hegemony.
Bearing in mind the subject of our debate, and based on the Kingdom of Morocco’s experience, I believe that the following proposals can contribute to the renewal of institutional democracy, and give it a fresh impetus so that citizens may believe in it and embrace it.
Therefore, I believe that:
- Firstly, and in addition to their original mission of passing laws and overseeing government action, parliaments should lay special emphasis on evaluating public policies and ascertaining their impact on the lives of citizens; they should also consolidate parliamentary diplomacy, as embodied by our Union and other multilateral institutions;
- Secondly, we must consolidate the concept of community-based parliaments, which interact with citizens and reflect their concerns;
- Thirdly, we must strengthen the role of political parties as mediation tools to promote stability as well as participation in the management of public affairs;
- Fourthly, citizen-based participatory democracy should be consolidated, and attention should be paid to strengthening the roles of civil society associations, which accompany citizens’ initiatives in proposing laws and submitting petitions to public authorities, contribute to the evaluation of public policies, and play the role of vigilant guardians regarding societal issues and problems;
- Fifthly, it is important to rehabilitate effective public debate, sound political practice, as well as democratic thinking and values. It is also essential to ensure that new technologies and the social media are used in a positive way, and that they help disseminate everything that is constructive, including the values of democracy, pluralism, moderation, and openness;
- Sixthly, parliaments should contribute to shoring up the values of participation and democracy, alongside the family, the media, the school, the university, and public space.
Honorable President,
Esteemed colleagues,
Today, democracy both shapes and is influenced by a number of issues that have become key factors in fashioning global strategies, such as migration, asylum, population displacement, and climate change. As parliamentarians, it is our duty to analyze the root causes of these global issues and redress whatever inaccuracies are circulated about these phenomena.
Furthermore, we should keep in mind the correlation between democracy and development as well as the imperative need to tackle poverty. In order to meet our citizens’ expectations regarding the benefits of democracy and representative institutions, it is important to realize that the establishment of new mechanisms of international solidarity to promote development and the transfer of capital and of new technologies from the North to the South - including in the health sector - is now a matter of great urgency. In addition to the globalization of economy and democratic thinking, it is essential to make sure all nations have access to the benefits of technological progress and to the knowledge gained by humankind.
Needless to say, such an objective can only be achieved if stability is ensured, and if the sovereignty of States and their territorial integrity and democratic political traditions are respected.
Thank you for your keen listening.