Video: Constitutional & Procedural Battle Ignites Morocco’s Parliament as Azami, Sentissi, and Benjelloun Raise Points of Order on Article 88 and Speaker Ahmed Touizi Rules on Voting Procedure

FesNews Media – Rabat: Alongside heated political and economic debates, the parliamentary sitting to grant confidence to Prime Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri’s government witnessed an intense constitutional and procedural battle through a series of points of order regarding Article 88 of the Constitution and Articles 164 and 261 of the Rules of Procedure, decisively arbitrated by House Speaker Ahmed Touizi.

Constitutional Debate Over Article 88: Voting on the Government Declaration vs. the Government Program

Prior to the roll-call vote, leaders of both opposition and majority groups raised successive points of order regarding the proper constitutional interpretation of Article 88 of the Constitution and Article 261 of the Rules of Procedure—debating the distinction between the “Government Declaration” and the “Government Program” and the framework for vote explanations, prompting a detailed procedural ruling from Speaker Ahmed Touizi.

Successive Points of Order by Azami, Sentissi, Bouazza, and Benjelloun Immediately Following the PM’s Speech

Immediately after the Prime Minister concluded her address, floor tensions surged as Driss El Azami (PJD), Driss Sentissi (Haraki), Abderrahim Bouazza (USFP), and Omar Mahmoud Benjelloun (Left Alliance) took the floor in rapid succession on constitutional points of order, met by firm legal clarifications from Speaker Ahmed Touizi.

Procedural Dispute Over Unparliamentary Language and Application of Articles 164 and 261

The sitting also saw a procedural confrontation between the Justice and Development Group and the Istiqlal Group demanding the withdrawal of expressions deemed unparliamentary, alongside a legal debate on the scope of Articles 164 and 261 during vote explanations, settled by Speaker Ahmed Touizi under the chamber’s standing orders.

Driss El Azami Raises Point of Order on Parliamentary Custom and Speaking Order

PJD parliamentary leader Driss El Azami El Idrissi intervened on a point of order to emphasize adherence to established parliamentary customs governing the alternating speaking order and proportional representation between opposition and majority groups during the explanation of votes.

Speaker Ahmed Touizi Enforces Floor Discipline During Heated Clash Over Judicial Prosecutions

During the fiery exchange triggered by Prime Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri’s response to the PJD regarding judicial prosecutions of elected officials, House Speaker Ahmed Touizi intervened decisively to restore calm and enforce respect for the speaker on the rostrum, leading up to the pause for the Maghrib call to prayer and El Mansouri’s defense of Moroccan women’s dignity.