The wealthiest man in Morocco has little interest in abdicating his throne. He has barely any interest in spending his time in the land that he rules, either – former officials claim he was out of the country for over 200 days in 2022. This was little worry for King Mohammed VI, who rarely offers his presence to the press or his population of more than 37 million. Despite being a recluse, the ruler boasts an incomprehensible amount of power over a relatively successful nation. Having full control and leadership of Morocco’s army, Muslim faith, government, judiciary, and national image, it seemed as though nothing would come in his way for a considerable amount of time – and nothing did, until mother nature intervened. Despite public attention on the regime and Morocco’s reliance on the king to make any significant government action, the earthquake in September of 2023 had no real impact on the future of Morocco’s monarch, illustrating clearly that vertical accountability is limited in an autocratic regime.

On the 23rd of July 1999, following the death of his father Hassan II, Mohammed rose to the throne of Morocco. His leadership has had markedly few major actions – shortly after taking office, he conducted an investigation into human rights abuses under his father’s regime. In 2004, he passed the Mudawana, a law that granted women more rights, and in 2009, raised the marriage age from 15 to 18. The change in policy sparked issues with conservatives in Morocco, which in turn motivated the king to suppress opposition to his rule, still present in the country today. Actions for the people represented the stated goal of his regime, which was to govern for the people. With this newly declared position, he placed himself above political parties, which were essentially tasked with carrying out his policy goals. Political representatives were elected by the public but had little say in their own choice of policy. Major protests occurred at the height of the Arab Spring in 2011, threatening Mohammed’s position on the throne, but he responded with a complete constitutional overhaul – expanding representation on the surface, but still allowing the king to preside with broad authority under all branches of government with a myriad of loopholes. A textbook authoritarian move, Mohammed solidified and centralized power in his hands while maintaining a generally positive public image. The referendum-elected reforms earned the king some much-needed popularity and protection, but in recent years, dissent has caught back up to him as he has taken more anti-democratic action to suppress opposition.

Various protests have been mounted in recent years against the king’s rule. An overarching theme among them, though, has been frustration with the way the kingdom has tackled social issues. Despite appearing as being one of the more progressive African nations, the real day-to-day of the Moroccan population is a story of struggle and growing intolerance. Like in the face of Arab Spring protests, Mohammed VI’s only choice is to slightly adapt while remaining silent and aloof – a favorable response for the Moroccan ruling class. While claiming he hears the voice of the people, Mohammed VI has exemplified aloofness – only appearing in a handful of independent media interviews in the almost 25 years he has been king, and not having given an unscripted interview in several years. Powerful in the shadows, the king prefers stealth tools to enforce his authoritarian rule. State-run media monopolizes the airwaves and press, keeping the monarchy’s story at the front and stomping on any budding flames of resistance. The government has taken anti-resistance one step further, too, imprisoning journalists who have spoken out and provided information on how the king’s web of influence reaches into every sector of the Moroccan economy and political sphere. The royal family themselves are owners of a great many news outlets, and almost all major Moroccan news outlets back the story of the monarchy. Dissident journalists are harassed and, as mentioned before, imprisoned on unrelated grounds – a textbook authoritarian play. 

Regimes like these thrive on being out of the spotlight – so when the major earthquake hit Morocco in September 2023, how did the king react to the eyes of the world upon him? The king was in Paris when the earthquake first hit. While the government has claimed the earthquake response was quick and efficient, one Moroccan economist argued that the government appeared “hesitant to take any action until the king authorizes it” (Erlanger). International press groups have noted the many misconceptions surrounding the recluse leader, from his whereabouts to his close friends to his health. Rumors spread like wildfire in the nation, and have hit hard at the foundation of trust the king rules on. It is believed that the king’s advisors and noblemen associated with the regime are discontent with his friendship with Abubakr Abu Azaitar, a Moroccan mixed-martial arts fighter who has gained much influence over the king. Unpopular with the people and the Islamic nobility, Mohammed’s reign was under threat before the earthquake. After the earthquake, the government has been increasingly tight-lipped, only making great claims of efficiency with little evidence. The state-run media has pushed the story that the king has been working hard from the shadows to help the nation, unilaterally coming to his defense. Evidently a consequence of the long-term democratic erosion in the country, the state-run media roadblocked the aid effort, suppressed opposing viewpoints from reaching the Moroccan public, and made it more difficult for the world to hear truthful reporting on the situation. The government was also quite reluctant to receive international aid, insisting on illustrating a powerful and capable nation – an image vital to their tourism industry. Opposition to the national narrative has spread over social media, but major media outlets were quick to call critics into question and defend the king. With the world’s attention on the regime, the king gave few public appearances and pivoted the national media response, all in an effort to suppress any ideas of an incompetent kingdom or an inept ruler.

Mohammed VI still sits on the throne, but his reputation has been called into question, and with the nobility unhappy with his personal life and a population struggling with disaster recovery, his seat could heat up at any moment. Nevertheless, given his success in instilling an autocratic regime centered around him (even when he is absent), resistance in Morocco is hindered by an inability to spread their beliefs under the shadow of state-run media. His ability to withstand the violence of the Arab Spring revolutions and maintain a positive public image speaks well to his future as a ruler. Nevertheless, his absence may become an issue among the Moroccan public and ruling gentry, who are both growing tiresome of his personality and power.