Delegation of the Petitions Committee Visits Portugal on June 15-16, 2023

A delegation of the Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives performed a working visit to the Republic of Portugal on June 15-16, 2023, with a view to exploring the Portuguese experience in participatory democracy and the best parliamentary practices in presenting petitions and motions. The delegation included the Chairperson of the Petitions Committee, Rep. Khadija Ezzoumi, and its members: Nadia Touhami, Malika Zekhnini, and Younes Benslimane. The visit falls within the project of support to the role of the Parliament in reinforcing democracy in Morocco (2020-2030), financed by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe through the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

During the first day of the visit, the seat of the Portuguese Parliament hosted a colloquium with the participation of the Deputy Speaker of the Portuguese National Assembly and the Chair of the Portuguese Group at the PACE, Ms. Edite Estrela. The Moroccan delegation also held a meeting with the members of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs at the Portuguese Parliament, where they explored the Portuguese model of participatory democracy. The meeting also featured presentations by experts and administrative officers on the Portuguese experience in presenting petitions and the related online platform.

On the sidelines of the visit, the Moroccan parliamentary delegation was received by the Portugal-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship Group. In this respect, the two parties noted the good relations linking the Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Portuguese Parliament on the bases of friendship, cooperation, and exchange of experiences. On the same occasion, the delegation visited the seat of the Parliament and attended the legislative plenary sitting.

On the second day, the North-South Center of the Council of Europe hosted a workshop that gathered international and Moroccan experts who tackled the right to present motions and petitions in the light of various parliamentary experiences. At the end of their visit, the Ambassador of the Kingdom to Portugal, H.E. Othmane Bahnini, received the delegation.