Morocco’s media establishment has drawn a hard line. The National Association of Media and Publishers announced this week that it is suspending all engagement with the Mouvement Populaire party and its Secretary-General, Mohamed Ouzine, accusing him of remarks it describes as personally demeaning toward the head of the Moroccan Publishers Association.
In a sharply worded statement, the professional body said Ouzine’s comments crossed the line from political disagreement into what it called direct insult, arguing the target was not one individual but an entire institution representing journalists who chose their leadership through a democratic vote.
The association pointed to a pattern rather than an isolated incident. It cited earlier remarks Ouzine made following an assault on a crew from Chouf TV, as well as parliamentary comments in which he reportedly referred to segments of the press using a colloquial Moroccan term widely regarded as dismissive of professional journalism.
Taken together, the group argues, these statements amount to an attempt to destabilize the national media landscape at a moment when the sector already faces mounting economic and political strain. The association said it would not engage with the party’s activities going forward and warned against what it called backroom efforts to reshape the media scene to serve narrow interests.
It also called on fellow press and publishing organizations to show solidarity, framing the dispute as a matter of professional dignity rather than a routine political spat, and said it would keep monitoring public statements from party officials in the weeks ahead.
The row lands at a delicate moment, just days before the official campaign period opens for the September 23 legislative elections — a vote in which the media’s role in public debate is under particular scrutiny. Analysts note that friction between political parties and the press tends to intensify ahead of elections, when coverage decisions carry heavier stakes for candidates. As of publication, neither Ouzine nor the Mouvement Populaire had issued a public response.
