Incorporation and neutralisation: how the Moroccan monarchy co-opts opposition from leftists to Islamists

This article argues that the Moroccan monarchy has ensured its political survival by strategically incorporating and neutralising oppositions during moments of crisis. Through a comparative analysis of two key episodes – the 1998 inclusion of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and the 2011 rise of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) – it examines how the monarchy selectively employs incentives and repression to integrate opponents into governance while curbing their influence once perceived as a threat. Situated within the framework of authoritarian resilience and controlled democratisation, the study argues that incorporation and neutralisation are not reactive tactics but central to the monarchy’s enduring architecture of control. Drawing on Abderrahmane Youssoufi’s and Abdelilah Benkirane’s political experiences, this study reveals that formal inclusion often conceals deeper mechanisms of domination, as ultimate power remains concentrated in royal hands through institutional prerogatives and informal networks. The article concludes that whether governments are conservative or liberal, the monarchy consistently uses co-optation to neutralise rivals and maintain hegemony.