Dressed in their signature black robes and sporting red armbands, Moroccan lawyers have escalated their unlimited strike into a permanent sit-in outside the Parliament building in Rabat. The demonstration, now entering its second week, reflects mounting opposition to the proposed legal profession regulation bill that lawyers argue threatens their core professional freedoms.

Demands for legal autonomy spark mass mobilisation

The Association des barreaux du Maroc (ABAM) has taken center stage in the protest, with members accusing the draft legislation of undermining judicial independence. Key points of contention include the proposed transfer of disciplinary powers from the Bar Association to the Ministry of Justice, as well as new rules governing lawyer training and professional entry requirements.

Critics point to provisions that would lower the minimum age for qualification exam candidates, a change they describe as ‘a dangerous precedent for the rule of law’. Aziz Rouibah, Rabat’s bâtonnier, minced no words in his assessment: ‘This isn’t just an attack on our profession—it’s an assault on Morocco’s democratic foundations.’

Parliamentary showdown looms as government faces growing backlash

Lawyers have warned that the standoff will intensify unless the bill is withdrawn entirely. During a previous demonstration last Thursday, Me Mounir Belghiti of the Rabat Bar Council framed the dispute as a ‘crisis of confidence’ between the legal community and state authorities. ‘When laws are tailored to serve political vendettas rather than the public good, we erode the pillars of our democracy,’ he cautioned.

Justice system paralysis deepens as strike enters critical phase

The ongoing work stoppage has brought Morocco’s courts to a near-standstill. Detainees awaiting trial face indefinite delays, with some hearings postponed for over a month. The ABAM, which unites all Morocco’s regional bar associations, has vowed to maintain pressure until the government revisits the legislation in its entirety.

Parliamentary debates are scheduled to resume this week in the Chamber of Advisors, where amendments could either ease tensions or trigger further escalation. If revised, the bill would return to the Justice Commission of the Chamber of Representatives for final review.