The government council approved a draft law today, Thursday, aimed at reorganizing the National Press Council. The proposal was introduced by the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.
This new draft law comes in the context of consolidating the achievements made by Law No. 90.13, while maintaining the council’s independence and professional character, and enhancing its competencies, particularly regarding the regulation and organization of the press and publishing sector.
The text of the draft clarifies that the new amendments were made to address challenges encountered during practical implementation, especially those related to renewing the council’s structures. One of the notable updates is the establishment of a special register for journalists holding press cards and another for publishers, aiming to provide an updated and comprehensive database of sector stakeholders.
The council’s opinion issuance periods regarding proposed laws and decrees will be regulated, with the possibility of reducing the timeframe in urgent cases, and it will be mandated to publish the code of ethics and regulations in the official gazette, reinforcing transparency and openness.
According to the draft, the council will consist of 17 members, including 7 representatives of professional journalists elected by direct voting, 7 representatives of publishers chosen by the most representative professional organizations, along with 3 members appointed by independent constitutional national institutions.
The draft emphasizes increasing women’s representation within the council, with at least 3 seats reserved for female journalists, and requires electoral lists to be gender-balanced.
The proposal aims to strengthen governance mechanisms within the council by redefining the legal quorum for meetings and simplifying arbitration and mediation procedures to expedite resolving disputes within the press sector.
Among the most significant amendments proposed is the establishment of a clear legal mechanism for organizing council elections, reducing the experience requirement for candidacy from 15 to 10 years, and setting precise criteria for the representation of media institutions that consider their economic size and number of employees.
The draft also stipulates the possibility of forming temporary special committees if renewing the council’s structures proves impossible, which would manage its affairs in a transitional manner and ensure its continued operation until a new council is formed within 120 days, based on a judicial ruling confirming the impossibility.
