What happened during the attempted coups against King Hassan II in 1971 and 1972?

King Hassan II of Morocco faced two significant military attempts to overthrow his monarchy in the early 1970s, which led him to suspend the implementation of constitutional reforms and maintain authoritarian control.12

• 1971 Coup: In July 1971, elements of the army launched an abortive coup against the king. This event caused the collapse of the 1970 constitution, which had provided for a one-house legislature.1
• 1972 Coup: A second attempted military coup occurred in August 1972. This attempt was apparently led by the Minister of Defense, Gen. Muhammad Oufkir. Following the failure of the coup, Oufkir died at the royal palace—reportedly by his own hand—and hundreds of suspects, including members of his family, were subsequently imprisoned.1

Following these crises, the implementation of a new constitution announced by the king in 1972 was largely suspended. Hassan II continued to navigate these internal threats by mixing political repression with efforts to co-opt the opposition, eventually instituting some socioeconomic reforms.12