Inside Story

The king and the constitution

Morocco’s Mohammed VI has promised changes as part of a “historic transition” to democracy, but are people buying it?

Moroccans have been demanding change since February 20, with increasingly regular and mostly peaceful protests.

The king has reacted to these demands with a number of speeches, but Friday’s announcement of constitutional reforms has brought the most reaction.

King Mohammed VI says the changes will turn Morocco from a 400-year-old monarchy into a constitutional one.

But, will it? Is it the change people want? And will it end their months of protests?

Inside Story, with presenter Kamahl Santamaria, discusses with guests: Shahi Hamid, the research director at the Brookings Doha Center; Mustafa El Khalfi from the Mohamed V University in Rabat; and Nabila Ramdani, a journalist on North African affairs.

This episode of Inside Story aired from June 18, 2011.