Book Points to Power Drift, Informal Networks and Institutional Absence at the Heart of Morocco’s Monarchy
By Dr. Hana Saada
A new investigative book published in Paris has reignited debate over governance and elite dynamics in Morocco, pointing to a widening gap between the monarchy’s centre of decision-making and day-to-day state management, alongside the growing weight of informal networks within the royal orbit.
Published by Grasset under the title “Récit d’un Roi” (“Story of a King”), the work by journalists Christophe Ayad and Frédéric Bobin draws on years of reporting and updated material from a series of 2025 articles. It presents a reading of power structured around parallel centres of influence, economic concentration and institutional disengagement.
At the core of the book is what the authors identify as “absence”, pointing to extended periods spent abroad by the monarch, particularly in France, described as a sustained governing pattern rather than intermittent diplomatic travel.
The analysis suggests this dynamic has contributed to administrative slowdowns during key periods, with decision-making processes frequently dependent on the physical presence or direct intervention of the sovereign.
A major section of the book points to the increasing influence of individuals close to the royal circle, including figures identified as the Zaiter brothers, former mixed martial arts athletes with a disputed legal history in Europe.
It describes their proximity to the inner circle as having translated into expanded access to sensitive spaces, logistical resources and informal authority, a development it links to tensions within established security institutions and segments of the traditional administrative hierarchy.
The authors further point to a consolidation of economic power across strategic sectors including banking, mining, insurance, telecommunications and distribution, arguing that the structure reflects a persistent overlap between regulatory authority and commercial holdings.
On media and public discourse, the book highlights pressure on investigative journalism, pointing to cases involving reporters such as Omar Radi and Souleiman Raissouni, and describing a broader environment in which reputational and legal mechanisms have constrained independent reporting.
A separate chapter turns to the September 2023 earthquake in the High Atlas, pointing to coordination gaps in the early response phase, when state mobilisation was perceived as delayed amid large-scale humanitarian need.
The book also situates Morocco’s regional positioning, including its normalisation with the Zionist entity, within a broader strategic realignment that has coincided with strained relations with Algeria and evolving fault lines in North Africa.
On institutional continuity, it sheds light on unresolved questions around succession planning and internal elite competition, framing the transition issue as a structural uncertainty within the system.
Overall, the book presents a portrait of a monarchy marked by centralisation at the top and fragmentation in execution, a narrative that has already triggered strong debate in French and Moroccan media circles.
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