The Moroccan Forum of Young Journalists urged eligible reporters to vote in the September 15 National Press Council election, presenting the ballot as an opportunity to rebuild confidence in the country’s system of media self-regulation.
Professional journalists will elect seven representatives from 39 approved candidates under Law 09.26, which reorganized the council in June. Representatives of media publishers will be selected through a separate procedure.
The forum said voters should prioritize competence, integrity, independence and professional credibility rather than union loyalties or personal interests. It called for the election of three women and four men who would represent the wider profession rather than particular organizations.
It also urged unions and professional groups to avoid reproducing existing divisions or allowing one organization to dominate the council.
The next council should defend press freedom, monitor professional standards and issue independent assessments of conditions facing Moroccan journalism, the forum said. It should also propose solutions to structural problems affecting journalists and media companies.
The group argued that defending national interests should not turn journalism into propaganda. It said credible reporting requires independence and the ability to scrutinize public institutions while covering Morocco’s strategic interests professionally.
The forum also called for stronger enforcement of ethical standards covering defamation, privacy, the presumption of innocence, unverified information and hate speech.
Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The election follows a contested restructuring of the council and calls from several professional organizations to postpone the process.
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