Pre-Election Party in El Jadida

People here seem really stoked about the election coming up later this month, which is intended to offer some constitutional reforms to strengthen democratic processes and institutions. The king of Morocco delivered an important speech recently where he set forth a bunch of ideas to open the government and make it more responsive to popular will. I've read in American press accounts about criticism that the reforms don't go far enough. Naturally, I'm sensitive and sympathetic to that kind of thing; however, I have to say that I've been talking to a lot of people here about how they feel about the reform process, and I haven't heard that point of view brought up once. They all seem genuinely enthused about the king and his proposal. And I don't get the impression that they're just toeing the party line in front of a foreigner. They've spoken with verve and passion--not the tight-lipped politeness of people who are saying something they think they're supposed to say.

One of my friends, an American who has been studying Arabic in Rabat, said that she did see protesters in Rabat who were calling for the reforms to go further, so I know there is some support for that point of view. From my own experience, it seems like the majority of the people are pretty satisfied, though.

As the campaign goes on, at three or four of the cities I've visited, there have been big nighttime parties in public parks to celebrate the election, where hundreds of people have come and brought the kids. Usually, there are banners flying everywhere and live bands playing. In El Jadida, above, there was a small platform to the side of the main stage, and a bunch of little kids seized it and were dancing like it was Solid Gold. So much fun to watch! One of the little boys was a mini-Mick Jagger--as God is my witness, he had the strut down to a T. It's so like Morocco to turn something like an election into so much fun.