e; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 23 July
1999)

head of government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane YOUSSOUFI (since 14
March 1998)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house
or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by
local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for
nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three
years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats;
members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 15 September 2000
(next to be held NA 2002); Chamber of Representatives - last held 14
November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2002)

election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - NA; Chamber of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 57, UC 50, RNI 46, MP 40,
MDS 32, IP 32, MNP 19, PND 10, MPCD 9, PPS 9, FFD 9, PSD 5, OADP 4,
PA 2, PDI 1

note: CDT, UTM, UGTM, UNMT are all labor unions listed under
Political pressure groups and leaders; see explanation in the
description of Parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the
recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided
over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad IDRISS];
Constitutional Union or UC [leader NA]; Democratic Forces Front or
FFD [Thami KHIARI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Issa
OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Party for Independence or PDI [Thami
EL-OUAZZANI, Said BOUACHRINE]; Istiqlal Party or IP [Abbas
El-FASSI]; Labor Party or UT [leader NA]; National Democratic Party
or PND [Mohamed Arsalane EL-JADIDI]; National Popular Movement or
MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI
[Ahmed OSMAN]; Organization of Democratic and Popular Action or OADP
[Mohamed BEN SAID ait Idder]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS
[Moulay Ismail ALAOUI]; Popular Constitutional and Democratic
Movement or MPCD (has become Party of Justice and Development or
PJD) [Dr. Abdelkarim KHATIB]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed
LAENSER]; Social Democratic Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE];
Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [A