![Moroccan Prime Minister, and Secretary General of the ruling Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane speaks during a press conference announcing his party's campaign program for the upcoming parliamentary election on September 19, 2016, in the capital Rabat. / AFP / FADEL SENNA (Photo credit should read FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/GettyImages-607707878.jpg/GettyImages-607707878.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=iNVH6Pp4)
Abderrahim Chalfaouat is a Morocco-based researcher in media and MENA politics. He holds an MA in Moroccan American studies, and is preparing a PhD in advertising and communication at Hassan II University of Casablanca. He is an alumnus of the Annenberg Oxford media policy institute.
![Moroccan Prime Minister, and Secretary General of the ruling Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane speaks during a press conference announcing his party's campaign program for the upcoming parliamentary election on September 19, 2016, in the capital Rabat. / AFP / FADEL SENNA (Photo credit should read FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images)](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/10/GettyImages-607707878.jpg/GettyImages-607707878.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=iNVH6Pp4)
![A woman (L) leaves a booth before casting her ballot at a polling station in the town of Tifelt, east of Rabat, Morocco September 4, 2015. Morocco's ruling Islamist party on Friday faced a major test of its dominance as polls opened for local elections for which most opposition parties have campaigned on anti-corruption platforms and against privileges for the elite. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX1R65C](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/09/RTX1R65C.jpg/RTX1R65C.jpg?h=5021389d&itok=yqodcAjl)
![Abderrahim Chalfaouat](https://www.al-monitor.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/authors/2016/Chalfaouat.jpeg/Chalfaouat.jpeg?h=55541bb6&itok=Yaz1ucQR)
Abderrahim Chalfaouat