King Mohammed VI dismissed on Tuesday four ministers from El Othmani's cabinet. The royal decision came after the Sovereign voiced his discontent with the slow pace of development projects, which fall within the framework of his «Lighthouse of the Mediterranean» initiative, inaugurated in October 2015. Abdelilah Benkirane, on the other hand emerged unscathed. The «political earthquake» announced today by King Mohammed VI on the opening of the parliamentary year has so far made the press headlines. After receiving a report following an investigation led by the President of the Court of Accounts on the reasons behind the slow pace of development projects, which fall within the framework of the «Lighthouse of the Mediterranean» initiative signed before the King on October 2015, the Sovereign decided to apply Article 47 of the Constitution, dismissing four ministers from El Othmani's cabinet. The list of officials laid off by the King includes : Mohamed Hassad, former Interior Minister in the government of Abdelilah Benkirane and currently head of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training, El Houcine Louardi, Minister of Health, Nabil Benabdellah, Minister of Housing and Larbi Bencheikh, Secretary of State for Vocational Training. At the time «Al Hoceima Lighthouse of the Mediterranean» was signed, the latter held the position of the Director of Morocco's Office of Vocational Training. Ali Fassi-Fihri, CEO of the National Office for Electricity and Potable Water (ONEE) and brother of the King's personal adviser Taieb Fassi-Fihri, was also part of the list. Benkirane emerged unscathed The former members of Abdelilah Benkirane government are also affected by the royal decision. In fact, Rachid Belmokhtar, former Minister of Education, Hakima El Haite, former delegate Minister in charge of the Environment , Lahcen Sekkouri, former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture were all involved in the report. They shall never be asked to occupy ministerial positions in the future as reported by the Royal Cabinet. Strangely, Abdelilah Benkirane emerged unscathed following this «political earthquake», as predicted by the political scene. Yet he was the Head of the government who was in charge of implementing development projects in Al Hoceima even though, as a reminder, the Secretary General of the PJD party had not attended the signing ceremony of the program «Al Hoceima Lighthouse of the Mediterranean». Saadeddine El Othmani is expected to propose names to replace the sacked ministers. All options are possible
