MOROCCO APPROVES KING MOHAMMED'S NEW CONSTITUTION
Moroccans have approved constitutional reforms put forward by King Mohammed VI in response to recent pro-democracy protests. The reforms grant executive powers to a prime minister, but the king is retained as head of the military, religious authorities and judiciary. The concessions come after protests inspired by the so-called Arab Spring.
Popular uprisings have toppled Presidents Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. The turnout in Friday's constitutional referendum - the first under King Mohammed's 12-year rule - was nearly 73%, officials said. The king did not say anything as he cast his vote in the capital, Rabat, but he has described the reforms as a ''decisive historic transition''.
All the country's main political parties, unions, civic groups, religious leaders and media urged Moroccans to vote in favour of the new constitution. If the results are confirmed, the king will remain the head of state, the military, and the Islamic faith in Morocco, but the prime minister - to be chosen from the largest party elected to parliament - will take over as head of the government.
The king has pledged that the reforms will reinforce the independence of the judiciary, boost efforts to tackle corruption, guarantee freedom of expression and gender rights and make Berber an official language, alongside Arabic. The reform plan has been welcomed abroad, with the European Union saying it ''signals a clear commitment to democracy''. King Mohammed, 47, acceded to the throne in 1999 following the death of his father, Hassan II, and now heads the Arab world's longest-serving dynasty.
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