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

Abderrahmane Youssoufi (/ɑːbdɛˈræxmɑːn ˈjuːsuːfi/ ⓘ 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 King Hassan II and King Mohammed VI.[3][4] He was the Secretary General of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (French: Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires, USFP).[5]

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. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 3 4 5 Hatim, Yahia (29 May 2020). "Casablanca Hospital Admits Morocco's Former PM Abderrahmane Youssoufi". Morocco World News. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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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