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Saadeddine Othmani
Saadeddine Othmani is a Moroccan politician who served as the 16th Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021. A prominent member of the Justice and Development Party, he was also Morocco’s Foreign Minister from 2012 to 2013 and has been involved in regional advisory roles with the Arab Maghreb Union since 2002.
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SAADEDDINE OTHMANI
Saadeddine Othmani, born in 1956 in Inezgane near Agadir, Morocco, is a psychiatrist and Moroccan politician known for his contributions to the country’s political and social landscape. He hails from a distinguished family in the Souss region, noted for its legacy in Islamic scholarship. Othmani initially pursued mathematics before shifting to medicine, earning a PhD in psychiatry in 1987. Alongside his medical studies, he achieved degrees in Islamic studies, reflecting his dual interests in science and faith.
Othmani’s political career began in earnest in 2004 when he became head of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), and later represented Inezgane in parliament. After serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2013, he returned to lead the PJD in 2017, following his predecessor’s challenge in forming a government coalition. King Mohammed VI appointed Othmani as Prime Minister in 2017, marking the beginning of his role at the helm of a coalition that included several major political parties.
During his time as Prime Minister, Othmani’s government maintained strong ties with France and focused on regional development initiatives. In response to unmet goals in the northern Rif region, he dismissed four ministers in 2017, signaling his commitment to effective governance. Othmani also took a firm stance on the Palestinian cause, rejecting normalization with Israel, which resonated with his party’s stance.
In the 2021 legislative elections, however, the PJD suffered a major setback, losing most of its parliamentary seats. This defeat led Othmani to step down as party leader, followed by his return to private life, where he resumed his psychiatric practice in Rabat.
GOVERNING TIME LINE
Saadeddine Othmani became Prime Minister of Morocco on March 17, 2017, after being appointed by King Mohammed VI following the failure of Abdelilah Benkirane to form a government after the 2016 parliamentary elections. Othmani, also from the Justice and Development Party (PJD), was tasked with leading a coalition government, and he successfully formed one despite initial challenges with negotiating with other political parties.
Othmani remained in office until October 7, 2021, when he resigned following the PJD's poor performance in the 2021 parliamentary elections, in which the party lost significantly to the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and other parties.