Abdelilah Benkirane

prime minister of Morocco

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July 20, 2026

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Abdelilah Benkirane served as the prime minister of Morocco from 2011 to 2017. He led the Justice and Development Party (PJD), a moderate Islamist party, which won a significant number of seats in the 2011 parliamentary elections following a new constitution that expanded the powers of the prime minister.12

Benkirane's government took a pragmatic approach but faced challenges in forming coalitions due to his uncompromising negotiation style. Ultimately, the king dismissed him in March 2017, appointing Saadeddine El Othmani to form a new government.1

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Morocco
The reign of Muḥammad VI
…the new constitution, Muḥammad appointed Abdelilah Benkirane, the leader of the PJD, prime minister and charged him with forming a cabinet. The PJD and Benkirane took a generally pragmatic approach to government. The party was cooperative with the monarchy, which remained legitimate in the eyes of the Moroccan people despite…
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…the new constitution, Muḥammad appointed Abdelilah Benkirane, the leader of the PJD, prime minister and charged him with forming a cabinet. The PJD and Benkirane took a generally pragmatic approach to government. The party was cooperative with the monarchy, which remained legitimate in the eyes of the Moroccan people despite…
Read More