Balancing Party Loyalty and Gender Advocacy: The Dilemma of Islamist Women Members of Parliament in the Moroccan Justice and Development Party

Abstract

This research examines the challenges faced by Islamist women Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Moroccan House of Representatives as they balance advancing women’s interests with supporting their party’s agenda. This study analyzes the legislative activities of female MPs from Morocco’s Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), including their submission of questions and drafting of bills. The research underscores the observed rise in female political participation, attributed in part to institutional reforms, notably gender quotas, within PJD. However, an examination of initiatives and propositions advanced by female Islamist MPs reveals a conspicuous absence of advocacy for women’s political interests. Consequently, the study concludes that despite constituting a numerical majority, Islamist women MPs exhibit limited engagement in advancing women’s interests, often prioritizing their respective parties’ agendas over broader gender-related concerns.

Keywords

Islamist party female Members of Parliament substantive representation Morocco Justice and Development Party

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