Mobilizations in a hybrid regime: The 20th February Movement and the Moroccan regime

Abstract

In the context of the wave of protests that shook the Arab world, Morocco is a particularly interesting case to address the problem of collective action and transformation of hybrid political regimes. This article describes the historical trajectory of recent protests in the country, the emergence and structuring of the 20th February Movement (M20F) and the neutralization strategy pursued by the Moroccan political regime. Taking up the idea that the success of collective action to transform a political regime is related to the ability of its promoters to legitimize their cause beyond their original base, the main argument is that both the nature of the 20th February Movement – marked by a profound heterogeneity and dualism – and the hybrid configuration of the Moroccan political regime – which offers a variety of repertoires of legitimation for the management of the protests – favoured the failure of the protest movement.