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The government approved the law to reorganize the National Press Council and withdrew the decree establishing the temporary management committee.
On Thursday morning, February 19, 2026, the government held its first meeting of the Ramadan month under the leadership of its head, Aziz Akhannouch. The council was dedicated to discussing a series of draft laws and decrees, reviewing an international agreement, and approving appointments to senior positions in accordance with Article 92 of the Constitution.
At the beginning of the session, the Prime Minister extended his congratulations to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the holy month and expressed his hopes for all Moroccans for Ramadan to bring peace and stability.
Rearranging the Internal Structure of the Press Sector
The most prominent item on the agenda was draft law No. 09.26 concerning the reorganization of the National Press Council, presented by the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication. This project responds to constitutional provisions that frame freedom of expression and self-regulation of professions, while aiming to ensure the continuity of the institution responsible for self-regulating the profession and enhancing its independence.
The new text is expected to redefine the legal framework of the council, especially after the Constitutional Court’s decision No. 26/261 issued on January 22, 2026, which necessitated the establishment of new legal effects regarding its structure and organization.
Conversely, the draft decree law No. 2.26.135, which aimed to establish a special committee to manage the press and publishing sector, was withdrawn, reflecting a trend towards addressing the issues from within the existing institutional framework rather than resorting to a transitional mechanism.
A New Push for the Reform of Collective Lands
The council also approved two decrees concerning collective lands, as part of completing the reform process of this property system. The first text (2.25.1141) exempts agricultural lands designated for ownership for legitimate beneficiaries from real estate registration fees, while the second (2.25.540) amends the implementing decree of law 62.17 regulating administrative guardianship over collective groups and managing their properties.
These steps fall within a framework aimed at facilitating land ownership for legitimate beneficiaries, whether within irrigation circles or on certain dry lands, thereby enhancing the integration of these groups into the economic dynamics and transforming collective property into a development lever.
Agreement with Germany and New Appointments
On the international front, the council reviewed an annex to the technical and economic cooperation agreement concerning German political institutions in Morocco, signed between the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, along with a draft law ratifying this annex.
The meeting concluded with the approval of a series of appointments to senior positions, including Hicham Zakan as Director of Governance and Information Systems Security at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Fatima Zahra Mernissi as Director of Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, Jamaleddine Benhayoune as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Tetouan, and Youssef Farid as Director of Human Resources, Finance, and Public Affairs at the Ministerial Delegation responsible for Human Rights.
Thus, the government’s first meeting in Ramadan sent clear signals to reorganize sensitive files, primarily the regulation of the press sector and the acceleration of collective land reforms, alongside the continued movement of appointments in strategic positions.
