33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

MOROCCO 3 The first king of Morocco, Mohamed V, took the throne in 1957, soon after receiving independence 6 . Since then until today, the Kingdom of Morocco has sustained a constitutional monarchy based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems. The three branches of the government are the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. The officers of executive branch are all appointed by the King. Provincial governors are also appointed by the King. 7 In Morocco today there is an abundance of political parties, most of which belong to one of two major groupings. There are about a dozen Islamic fundamentalist political parties, all of them illegal although unofficially tolerated. Relations between the Ling and the many parties have often been disturbing. 8 The King also claims to be a descendant of the prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. He also holds the position of the religious head of state, and all local religious leaders are subordinate to his decisions. Morocco serves as one of the countries of origin and transit for undocumented migration into Spain from North Africa. Unemployment and underemployment are big problems for the unskilled and uneducated. There are a large number of homeless people begging in the streets, and 13 % of all Moroccans fall below the poverty line. 9 Cultural Traditions Moroccans are famous for their hospitality and proudly serve their guests as much food as they can afford. It is considered disgraceful to allow guests to leave a meal unsatisfied. 10 Street markets with local foods and handicrafts can be found in every major city. Intense haggling over the price of most of these goods is the local custom. Maintaining good personal relations with everyone is very important as favours, bribes, kickbacks, and connections all come into play when making the final deal. 11 When greeting one another, Moroccans usually shake hands and touch their heart to show personal warmth. Segregation of the sexes is very important in almost every social situation outside the home. Only very modern, Westernized women are active in public life. In the Berber countryside, the appearance of women in public may be slightly more common than in major cities. Traditionally, elders are respected and honored by the entire community. 6 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14121438 7 http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/The-United-Kingdom-of-Morocco.html 8 ibid 9 ibid 10 ibid 11 ibid