Mohammed VI (1963–)

Mohammed VI, born in Rabat, Morocco, on August 21, 1963, obtained a doctorate in law from a French [Page 468]university. King Mohammed VI ascended to the throne on July 23, 1999, following the death of his father, King Hassan II. As Amir Al-Mumineen (Commander of the Faithful) in Morocco, King Mohammed VI is both a political and spiritual leader.

With the motto “It is now time for authority to serve the people, and not for the people to serve authority,” King Mohammed VI started what he called the “New Era” of political modernization, where a new concept of authority based on accountability, human rights, and individual freedom was introduced.

After King Mohammed VI had dismissed the unpopular Driss Basri, his father's interior minister since 1979, he allowed ...