Morocco Installs Temporary Committee to Oversee National Press Council Until New Elections

Rabat, The Gulf Observer: Morocco has officially installed a temporary committee to assume the responsibilities of the National Press Council (CNP) until a new council is elected, the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication announced.

The committee was established under Article 96 of Law No. 09.26, which reorganizes the National Press Council and recently came into force. It will temporarily perform the council’s functions while preparing and supervising the election of representatives of professional journalists and the appointment of newspaper publishers’ representatives before announcing the final election results.

The installation ceremony was overseen by Abdelaziz Boujdaïni, Secretary-General of the Communication Department. The committee is chaired by Hassan Jaber, a judge representing the Supreme Council of the Judiciary.

Other members include Abdelghani Bardi, representing the National Human Rights Council (CNDH); Mohamed Benkdour, representing the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE); Abdelrahim Ariri, representing newspaper publishers and appointed by the Head of Government; and Yassine El Omari, representing professional journalists and also appointed by the Head of Government.

The committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday, in accordance with the legal requirement that it convene within 10 days of the law’s publication in the Official Gazette.

The temporary body was established following the adoption of Law No. 09.26, which reorganizes the National Press Council after Morocco’s Constitutional Court ruled that several provisions of an earlier draft were unconstitutional. The government subsequently revised the legislation before it was approved by Parliament.

According to the government, the new law is intended to strengthen the council’s governance, improve transparency, ensure continuity in regulating the journalism profession during the transition period, reinforce media self-regulation, and modernize the legal framework governing the press.

The reform, however, has generated debate within Morocco’s media sector. Several journalist organizations and press freedom advocates have expressed concerns over the legislative process, arguing that journalists, publishers, and civil society groups were not sufficiently consulted during the drafting of the law. Critics have also warned that certain provisions could weaken the independence of the National Press Council as a self-regulatory body.

Established in 2018, the National Press Council is responsible for regulating Morocco’s journalism profession, issuing press cards, enforcing professional ethics, and handling disciplinary matters involving journalists and media organizations.

The council’s previous elected mandate expired several years ago, resulting in an extended transitional period during which interim arrangements remained in place while lawmakers worked on a revised legal framework.