Mohammed VI of Morocco
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| Mohammed VI | |
| King of Morocco | |
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| Reign | 23 July 1999 – present (9 years) |
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| Born | 21 August 1963 |
| Birthplace | Rabat, Morocco |
| Predecessor | Hassan II |
| Heir Apparent | Moulay Hassan |
| Consort to | Princess Lalla Salma |
| Offspring | Moulay Hassan Lalla Khadija |
| Royal House | House of Alaoui |
| Royal anthem | "Hymne Chérifien" |
| Father | Hassan II |
| Mother | Lalla Latifa Hammou |
King Mohammed VI (Arabic: محمد السادس) born in 1963, is the King of Moroccon. He ascended to the throne in July 1999.
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[edit] Early monarchy
Mohammed was born in Rabat, Morocco on 21 August 1963, the eldest son and second child of King Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou, from an important Berber family. Before becoming king, he held the title of Crown Prince. He was enthroned 23 July 1999, just hours after the death of his father. The young King soon became known as a moderniser who may have furthered the legitimacy of the constitutional monarchy, a political system that Morocco has followed since its 2 March 1972 constitution.
Mohammed is the 18th king in the Alaouite dynasty, which has reigned in Morocco since 1666. He carries also, according to the Moroccan constitution, the title of Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful or religious chief).
[edit] Education
His father, the late King Hassan II, was keen on giving him a religious and political education from an early age At the age of four, he started attending the Qur'anic school at the Royal Palace where he learned the Qur'an by heart, and received a religious and traditional education.
After primary and secondary studies at the Royal College and after he received his Baccalaureate in 1981, Mohammed obtained in 1985 a B.A in law at the College of law of the Mohammed V University in Rabat. His research paper dealt with "the Arab-African Union and the Strategy of the Kingdom of Morocco in matters of International Relations."
In 1987 he obtained his first Certificat d'Études Supérieures (CES) in political sciences and in July 1988 he obtained a Diplôme d'Études Approfondies DEA in public law.
In November 1988 he trained in Brussels with Jacques Delors, then President of the European Commission.
He obtained his doctorate in law (PhD) with "Very Honourable" distinction and the Congratulations of the Jury on 29 October 1993 from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis for his thesis on "EEC-Maghreb Relations."
He is the recipient of an honorary degree by The George Washington University awarded in 22 June 2000 for his promotion of democracy in Morocco.
Mohammed was promoted to the rank of Major General on 12 July 1994.
[edit] Social reform and liberalization
Shortly after he took the throne, he addressed his nation via television, promising to take on poverty and corruption, while creating jobs and improving Morocco's human rights record. Mohammed VI is generally opposed by Islamist conservatives, and some of his reforms have angered fundamentalists. He also created a new family code, or Mudawana, which granted women more power. The law came into effect in February, 2004.
Mohammed VI also created the so-called Instance Equité et Réconciliation (IER), a commission, which was supposed to research human rights violations under Hassan II. The commission was however not allowed to mention Mohammed's predecessor or report about human rights violations since 1999, when Mohammed was enthroned. This move was welcomed by many as a move towards democracy, but also criticized because the commission could not criticize the violation of freedom of speech, which according to human rights organisations still exists in Morocco.
King Mohammed pardoned on 4 April 2008 eight demonstrators convicted in 2007 on charges of undermining the monarchy. The eight men, all members of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, were detained after chanting slogans critical of the monarchy.
[edit] Family
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Mohammed has one brother, Prince Moulay Rachid, and three sisters, Princess Lalla Meryem, Princess Lalla Asma, and Princess Lalla Hasna. On 21 March 2002 he married Salma Banani (now HRH Princess Lalla Salma) in Rabat, giving her the title of Princess. Princess Lalla Salma has two children, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, who was born on 8 May 2003 and Princess Lalla Khadija who was born on 28 February 2007.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Morocco Alaoui dynasty
- History of Morocco
- King Mohammed VI Grants Exclusive First-ever Interview to Time
- Laurenson, John. The most powerful man in Morocco, BBC News, 11 March 2006.
[edit] References
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Mohammed VI of Morocco
Born: 21 August 1963 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by Hassan II |
King of Morocco 1999 – present |
Incumbent Designated heir: Moulay Hassan |
