Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdeilah Benkirane, has strongly criticized the recent remarks by Morocco’s Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi regarding the Family Code revision.
On Sunday, a PJD meeting assessed the proposals made by Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The meeting also reviewed Ouahbi’s remarks on the family code.
In a statement released on Sunday, PJD quoted Benkirane as expressing strong concerns about Ouahbi’s statements. The PJD leader particularly took issue with Ouahbi’s approach in handling sensitive religious matters, arguing the minister “overstepped” the boundaries of his authority.
PJD’s statement further cited what the party’s leadership perceived as Ouahbi’s interference with issues that should be under the purview of religious scholars, including the proposed amendments to make it mandatory for husbands to consult their wives in cases of polygamy.
The proposed amendments for the family code, including several sought-changes, received initial approval from Morocco’s religious authorities.
However, the proposals still need further assessment before a final approval.
In its statement, the PJD Secretariat highlighted what it sees as contentious challenges, including the inclusion of marital housing in inheritance and its potential to disrupt inheritance rights.
The party also took issue with the amendment seeking to make the wife’s domestic work being considered as a contribution to joint marital assets.
It also highlighted the simplification of divorce procedures, the direct obligation of financial maintenance after marriage contract signing, and the automatic custodianship of children by divorced mothers regardless of remarriage.
Read also: Morocco’s Family Code Reforms Address Key Social Issues, Justice Minister Says
Prior to commenting on the proposed amendments, Benkirane emphasized the significant role of King Mohammed VI and the importance of referring religious matters to the Higher Council of Ulema, Morocco’s highest religious authority.
While reaffirming its strong support for the approach outlined by the King, the General Secretariat expressed concerns over the amendments or rather how they were reintroduced by Ouahbi.
“These issues, although addressed by the Fatwa Committee, have caused great concern among the public due to their potential negative and dangerous effects on family formation, which is founded on love, mercy, mutual respect, and kindness,” PJD said.
For the party’s leadership, these challenges could lead to a “shift in family dynamics, turning family relations into financial transactions and encouraging divorce, thus undermining the core objectives of Sharia which aims to promote marriage, family cohesion and social stability.”
This is not the first time that Benkirane and the PJD secretariat have taken issue with Ouahbi’s approach to civil law, including his recent controversial remarks on consensual relations outside marriage.
In September, Benkirane criticized the Justice Minister for his controversial proposal to legalize sexual relations outside of marriage in Morocco.
In a sharp rebuke, Benkirane lashed out at Ouahbi in a speech at PJD’s Rabat headquarters, calling him a “minister of corruption.”
The PJD leader fumed: “How is it possible for a Minister of Justice to defend what is called consensual relations? These are just names, and there is no need to mix things up. There is no such thing as consensual relations; there is only adultery, sodomy, and rape.”
