Morocco Islamic Affairs minister retracts state is ‘secular’

Morocco’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, backtracked on describing the kingdom as a “secular state”, following a storm of criticism from the Islamist opposition.

The controversy began on 26 November when Toufiq addressed the Moroccan parliament in regard to a meeting he had with the French interior minister Bruno Retailleau, during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco in October.  

“Our meeting wasn’t covered in the media, but I assured the French minister that we’re not sceptical of France’s laicity (secularism) because we, too, are laic (secular)”, Toufiq revealed.

“I told him we believe in freedom, where everyone does as they please, because there’s no coercion in religion.”

The remarks, made in the context of Morocco’s partnership with France to combat religious extremism, ignited a nationwide backlash against the minister from conservatives.

One of the most vocal critics was Abdelilah Benkirane, Toufiq’s old friend and ally, and former prime minister of Morocco from 2012 to 2016.

Without naming Toufiq directly, Benkirane denounced the idea, asserting, “Morocco is a Muslim country, and its people are deeply rooted in Islamic values.”

Al-Adl Wal Ihsane, the biggest Islamist organisation in the country, also denounced the minister’s claim, arguing that his position–as Minister of Islamic Affairs–wouldn’t be established whether Morocco was or was not a “secular state”.

According to Morocco’s constitution, Islam is the official religion, and King Mohammed VI serves as the “Commander of the Faithful.” However, the constitution also guarantees freedom of belief.  

Separation of state and religion in Morocco

This is not the first time the separation of religion and state has sparked debate in Morocco. After the PJD’s crushing defeat in the 2021 elections, Mustapha Ben Ali, leader of the Democratic Front party, declared–along with newly-elected PM Aziz Akhennouch–that Morocco shifted from an “Islamist project” to a “liberal one.”  

Under Akhannouch, the current government is seen as more progressive than its predecessors, with greater representation of women in the cabinet and Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi pushing for expanded personal freedoms. However, inequality in inheritance, injustices against Indigenous women, and the prevalence of gender-based violence and overall insecurity remain present in the North African kingdom.

Still, Toufiq’s remarks seemed out of character, given his two-decade tenure as Minister of Islamic Affairs, where he built a reputation for conservatism–his position is one of the monarch-appointed “sovereign ministers.”

On 3 December, Toufiq issued a public letter on national news platforms denying that he had referred to the Moroccan state as laic. He claimed his remarks were taken out of context.  

Titled “a complaint to God,” the letter was addressed to Benkirane, expressing hope for a national dialogue on the relationship between religion and the state. He also warned against using religion as a tool for populism.  

In response, Benkirane publicly apologised but reiterated his stance that there is no place for laicity in Morocco.

The controversy coincides with discussions about Morocco’s new family code, which could criminalise child marriage and polygamy while granting more rights to divorced women and single mothers—key demands of women’s rights groups presented during months-long discussions with the government.

Benkirane has voiced his disapproval of the new reform, threatening nationwide protests if approved.

Last September, King Mohammed VI ordered a reform of the family code. Six months later, a committee of ministers, including Toufiq, submitted a draft to the monarch, though its contents remain undisclosed.  

Ultimately, the decision on the most contentious aspects of the reform will rest with King Mohammed VI, who presides over the Supreme Council of Scholars, the body with exclusive authority over religious rulings.