Abderrahmane Youssoufi

Abderrahmane Youssoufi (/ɑːbdɛˈræxmɑːn ˈjsfi/ ahb-deh-RAH-mahn YOO-soo-fee; Arabic: عبد الرحمن اليوسفي; 8 March 1924 – 29 May 2020) was a Moroccan politician and human rights lawyer who served as the 12th Prime Minister of Morocco from 1998 to 2002,[1][2] serving under kings Hassan II and Mohammed VI.[3][4] He was the leader of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces.[5]

Abderrahmane Youssoufi
Prime Minister of Morocco
In office
4 February 1998  9 October 2002
MonarchsHassan II
Mohammed VI
Preceded byAbdellatif Filali
Succeeded byDriss Jettou
Personal details
Born(1924-03-08)8 March 1924
Tangier, Morocco
Died29 May 2020(2020-05-29) (aged 96)
Casablanca, Morocco
Political partySocialist Union of Popular Forces

Early life and education

Born in Tangier,[6] Youssoufi was a socialist from a young age,[6] dedicating himself to organizing the working class of Casablanca as early as 1944.[6] In 1949 Youssoufi began also to fight for the rights of immigrant Moroccan workers in France.[6] He also studied law, practicing in Tangier from 1952 to 1960.[7]

The Youssoufi family were of Berbers origin, and the future prime minister spoke only Tamazight and French until he began school, where he learned standard Arabic and Darija (Moroccan Arabic).[8]

Youssoufi evolves within the Army of Liberation in the company of its formidable leader Fqih Basri.[9] Through Mehdi Ben Barka, Youssoufi joined a group of passionate young men who shared a vision: An independent Morocco. Youssoufi became a member of the Al Istiqlal (Independence) Party and, at only 19 years old, threw himself into the fight for a free Morocco.[10] He was nicknamed Lenin by the Moroccan police for his excessive Nationalism.[11] He was arrested Twice, once imprisoned for his political dissidence, he was one of the most important figures in Morocco’s political scene.[12] his participation in the creation of the Arab Organization for Human Rights

Political career

In 1959, Youssoufi was one of the founders of the National Union of Popular Forces, a left-wing political party.[13] He was arrested for his involvement in 1959 and again in 1963,[6] the latter arrest leading to a prison sentence of two years.[7] Following his release, Youssoufi went into self-imposed exile in Paris for a period of fifteen years.[7] Later he returned to Morocco.[14] Meanwhile, the National Union of Popular Forces became the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and Abderrahmane Youssoufi was appointed its permanent delegate outside the country, and later, in 1978, a member of its political bureau.[15] In 1980 Youssoufi returned to join the new party,[16] becoming the party secretary in 1992 after the death of Abderrahim Bouabid.[1]

In 1983, he co-founded the Arab Organization for Human Rights along with Egyptian sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim and French-Syrian sociologist Burhan Ghalioun.[17][18]

Prime Minister

On 4 February 1998, following the victory of Youssoufi's party in the 1997 Moroccan general election, King Hassan II named Youssoufi the Prime Minister of Morocco.[19][20] Youssoufi formed a left-center government which would provide greater freedoms for the people and media.[21][1] In 2002, the USFP was re-elected to a majority in the general election that year, although King Mohammed VI appointed a technocrat, Driss Jettou, to succeed Youssoufi as Prime Minister. On 28 October 2003, Abderrahmane Youssoufi resigned from his post as First Secretary of the USFP.[22]

Later life

In February 2005, Youssoufi announced his retirement from politics.[13] He began to live in Casablanca after his retirement.[1] On 15 October 2016, Youssoufi was hospitalized for pneumonia and King Mohammed VI visited him in the hospital.[23][24] He had no children.[25]

Death

Youssoufi died on 29 May 2020, at the age of 96 due to lung cancer.[26][27] His funeral took place Friday at the “Chouhada” (martyrs) cemetery in Casablanca in the presence of a small number of relatives due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[28]

Awards

National honours

In 1991, Youssoufi was one of the two winners of the North-South Prize.[30] In 2016, King Mohammed VI of Morocco honored Youssoufi by naming an avenue in Tangier after him.[31][32]

References

  1. Marvine Howe (2005). Morocco:The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges. Oxford University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-19-516963-8.
  2. Clements, John (29 May 2005). "Clements' Encyclopedia of World Governments". Political Research, Incorporated. Retrieved 4 December 2007 via Google Books.
  3. "Anciens Premiers ministres et Chefs du gouvernement". www.cg.gov.ma (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  4. "رؤساء الحكومة السابقون". www.cg.gov.ma (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  5. Guerraoui, Saad (29 May 2020). "Morocco's ex-PM Abderrahmane Youssoufi dies | Saad Guerraoui". MEO. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  6. Hatim, Yahia (29 May 2020). "Casablanca Hospital Admits Morocco's Former PM Abderrahmane Youssoufi". Morocco World News. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  7. Staff (29 May 2020). "Morocco's Ex-PM Abderrahman El Youssoufi Dies at Age 96". North Africa Post. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  8. "Abderrahmane Youssoufi, ancien Premier ministre du Maroc, est décédé". www.20minutes.fr (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  9. Bendjelloun, Omar (5 June 2020). "Abderrahmane Youssoufi, une synthèse maghrébine". Orient XXI (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  10. handaji, Madeliene (29 May 2020). "Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the Iconic Man Who Put Morocco First". Morocco World News.
  11. "Maroc : la véritable histoire d'Abderrahman Youssoufi". Middle East Eye édition française (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  12. "The Opposition's First Prime Minister: A witness to Morocco's longstanding challenges". 16 June 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  13. Park, Thomas Kerlin; Boum, Aomar (2005). Historical Dictionary of Morocco. Scarecrow Press. p. 360. ISBN 978-0-8108-5341-6.
  14. "Morocco's Acknowledgement of Past Abuses". Human Rights Watch. 28 November 2005. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. "Abderrahmane Youssoufi 1924 - 2020". Socialist International. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  16. "Morocco's former PM Abderrahmane Youssoufi dies at 96 - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.news.cn. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  17. "Décès d'Abderrahmane Youssoufi, ancien Premier ministre marocain". VOA (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  18. "Maroc: décès de l'ancien Premier ministre Youssoufi". LEFIGARO (in French). 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  19. Leveau, Rémy (6 December 1998). "A democratic transition in Morocco?". Le Monde Diplomatique. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  20. "Former Moroccan PM Abderrahmane Youssoufi dies". Saudigazette. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  21. Susan Searight (1 November 1999). Maverick Guide to Morocco. Pelican Publishing. pp. 62–. ISBN 978-1-56554-348-5. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  22. "Maroc : Décès de l'ancien Premier ministre marocain Abderrahman Youssoufi". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  23. "Hospitalisé, Abderrahmane Youssoufi visité par le roi Mohammed VI (photos)", h24info.ma, 15 October 2016. (in French)
  24. "L'ancien premier ministre marocain Abderrahmane Youssoufi n'est plus". Espace Manager (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  25. "Décès de Abderrahman El Youssoufi : La fin d'une époque". L'Economiste (in French). 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  26. "Décès de l'ex-Premier ministre marocain Abderrahman El Youssoufi". Laquotidienne.
  27. "L'ancien premier ministre Abderrahmane Youssoufi est décédé".
  28. "Moroccan statesman Abderrahman El-Youssoufi passes away | Mohamed Alaoui". AW. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  29. MATIN, LE. "L'ancien Premier ministre, Abderrahmane El Youssoufi, n'est plus". Le Matin (in French). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  30. "The North South Prize of Lisbon". North-South Centre. Council of Europe. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
  31. "Morocco's ex socialist PM Youssoufi dies". Journal du Cameroun. 29 May 2020. Archived from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  32. "Maroc: décès de l'ancien Premier ministre Abderrahmane Youssoufi". RFI (in French). 29 May 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
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