Party of Renaissance and Virtue

The Party of Renaissance and Virtue (French: Parti de la Renaissance et de la Vertu) is a political party in Morocco. It defines itself as moderate Islamist. However, Siham Ali of Magharebia describes it as an Islamist party.^[1]

History and profile

This party is a splinter group from the Justice and Development Party (PJD), initially founded on 9 April 2004 by Mohamed Khalidi, a founding member of the PJD and former member of its political bureau, under the name Movement of Vigilance and Virtue, then formally organized as a political party on 25 December 2005.^[2][3]

As of 2011, the secretary general of the party was Mohamed Khalidi.^[4]

The party has an Islamist stance.^[1] On 8 June 2013, salafist politicians joined the party.^[1]

Coalition membership

Before the 2011 parliamentary elections, it joined with seven other Moroccan parties (National Rally of Independents, Authenticity and Modernity Party, Constitutional Union, Popular Movement, Socialist Party, Labour Party and Green Left Party) to form a "Coalition for democracy". Its purpose was "the formation of a great national coalition that will group the forces which adopted and triumphally support the society project for democracy and modernity".^[5]

Political representation

In the parliamentary election held on 7 September 2007, the party presented 59 candidates in 60% of the electoral districts, but won one out of 325 seats.^[6] Its deputy for the legislature was former imam Abdelbarii Zemzami, a controversial figure who repeatedly emitted bizarre fatwas on the liceity of necrophilia or of masturbation and the use of sex toys by women.^[7][8]

It is no longer represented in the new Assembly since the 2011 parliamentary election.

References

1. Siham Ali (14 June 2013). "Salafists take up politics in Morocco". Magharebia. Rabat. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
2. "Mohamed Khalidi : Fondateur du Parti PRV: Le fidèle mal récompensé". Gazette du Maroc (in French). 2 January 2006. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
3. "Le mouvement islamiste se multiplie et se divise". L′Economiste (in French). 27 December 2005. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
4. "Massive Turnout To Strengthen Morocco's Political Maturity - Renaissance And Virtue Party". MAP. 22 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
5. Guendouli., Akram (5 October 2011). "Huit partis politiques annoncent "la coalition pour la démocratie"". La Vie éco (in French). Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
6. Kharroubi, Ali (31 August 2007). "Mohamed Khalidi, SG du PRV : "Tout dépendra de la notoriété et la crédibilité du candidat"". Aujourd’hui le Maroc (in French). Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
7. "Zemzami affiche le sérieux de sa candidature". Magharebia (in French). 7 September 2007. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
8. "Marruecos: polémica por "fatwa" que autorizó masturbación femenina". EFE Agency (in Spanish). La Nación (Chile). 28 March 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.

Iconography

• Posters and leaflets from the 2007 legislative elections campaign, on the Tractothèque