Morocco's King Mohammed VI has dismissed Mohamed Boussaid, the country's economy and finance minister, from his post.
A royal statement carried by official agency MAP said the King’s decision was taken in line with the provisions of Article 47 of the Constitution and in consultation with head of the government, Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othman.
The statement explained that the decision comes amid a drive to enforce the "principle of accountability that the king is anxious to apply to all officials, regardless of their rank.”
However, there was no further information on the main reason for Boussaid’s abrupt dismissal.
During a reception held on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the enthronement of the country's King Mohammed VI at the Marchane Palace in Tangier on Monday, an informed source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Boussaid was in a “precarious” situation.
The source refused to offer more details.
This week, Morocco witnessed a ceremony where hundreds of regional representatives renewed their pledge of loyalty to King Mohammed the day after the anniversary of his enthronement.
Eyewitnesses who attended the ceremony said that Royal security members did not allow the minister to enter a tent where high-ranking officials were sitting, but instead took Boussaid to another location.
The sacked minister is a member of the liberal RNI party and has held the post since October 2013 under the two governments led by the PJD party.
He was previously appointed minister for tourism and economy in the government of Abbas El Fassi.
He has come under pressure recently following a campaign launched against him on the social media after he described Moroccan consumers, who had been boycotting three major brands since April over bad living conditions, as “deluded.”
