HIBAPRESS – By: A. Mahyawi
Sefrou province has witnessed significant political developments in recent days, reviving the debate over the integrity of the electoral process and the limits of the legal responsibility of elected officials, after the regional authorities implemented the provisions of the law against a number of local officials, following final court rulings.
In a move described as decisive, the governor of Sefrou province issued a decision stripping Mohammed Samsam of his membership in the Ain Chekkak Municipal Council, as well as his membership in the Regional Council of the Fez-Meknes region, following a final decision by the Court of Cassation rejecting his appeal, thus making the ruling depriving him of electoral eligibility final and binding.
End of a judicial path and the beginning of a new phase
The administrative decision came in implementation of a judicial ruling that has acquired the force of res judicata, after the person concerned exhausted all stages of litigation. According to the regulatory laws governing local authorities, the loss of electoral eligibility automatically forfeits membership in elected councils, which prompted the governor of the province to activate the dismissal procedure without any margin for discretion.
Local and regional political repercussions
The dismissal of Samsam, who is considered one of the well-known names locally, is likely to bring about tangible changes within the Ain Chekkak Municipal Council, whether at the level of alliances or the distribution of the balance of power between the majority and the opposition.
As for the Fez-Meknes region, the vacancy of the seat requires the activation of the legal procedures for replacing members, by calling the next candidate on the regional election list for the year 2021.
The removal of the president of the Lâanoussar commune
In a related context, the authorities of Sefrou province announced the opening of the door for nominations to elect a new president for the Lâanoussar commune, following the dismissal of the former president due to his loss of electoral eligibility, after he was convicted by a final court ruling that sentenced him to two years in prison.
The authorities set the period from Thursday, December 25 to Sunday, December 29, 2025, at half past four in the afternoon, as the deadline for submitting nomination files, at the nomination reception office at the headquarters of the Ait Yousse command.
Clear messages from the Ministry of Interior
These successive decisions reflect a clear trend towards strict adherence to the law and linking responsibility with accountability, in complete harmony with the constitutional directives and the contents of the regulatory laws governing elections and local authorities.
Observers believe that what is happening in Sefrou province constitutes a strong message to all elected officials, meaning that electoral legitimacy remains contingent on compliance with the law, and that any breach of legal eligibility results in political downfall, regardless of status or influence.
It is expected that the local political scene will witness rapid activity within the concerned parties in the coming days, in preparation for rearranging the cards and filling the vacant positions, in a scene that reflects a delicate stage of rebuilding trust in elected institutions.
