Morocco’s King Mohammed VI presided over a working session at the Royal Palace in Casablanca on Monday, on the revision of the Family Code (Muduwana) following the submission of a report by the Commission for the Revision of the Family Code with over 100 proposed amendments.
The meeting followed the King’s meeting with the Supreme Council of Ulemas on related religious proposals.
The King made royal decisions on issues requiring religious input, prioritizing choices that aligned with the values and objectives outlined in his Royal Letter to the head of government.
During the session, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi, a member of the review commission, presented an overview of the commission’s work, highlighting public consultations, key proposals shaping the report, and the intended outcomes of the revisions.
Ahmed Toufiq, Minister of Religious Endowments and Islamic Affairs and a member of the Supreme Council of Ulemas, shared the Council’s conclusions, which included legal foundations for some commission proposals and solutions aligned with Sharia law based on the principles of Maslaha (public interest).
The sovereign highlighted the importance of constructive Ijtihad (legal reasoning) within Morocco’s Islamic jurisdiction and urged continued reflection on family issues.
The King called on the Supreme Council of Ulemas to continue its work by establishing a framework within the Council to address family code challenges and develop innovative solutions that align with evolving societal needs.
The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and relevant ministers were tasked to inform the public about the revisions, with the government expected to promptly draft the legislative framework aligning with constitutional requirements.
For the legislative phase, the King urged the government and parliament to uphold the principles of justice, equality, solidarity, and coherence with Islamic values and the international conventions Morocco has ratified.
The King acknowledged a need for reform, two decades after the Family Code’s implementation, to ensure the legal, social, and economic protection of families. He reiterated that the revision must benefit all family members equally, recognizing the family as the “core of society,” with clear and comprehensible laws.
The monarch called for stronger family justice systems, updated legislation, and increased public awareness of citizens’ rights and obligations under the new Family Code.
The head of government, Aziz Akhannouch; Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi; Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq; and Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family Naima Ben Yahia attended the meeting.