Discarding the Eggshells

A young monarch in a shaky new country can do worse than choose Charles de Gaulle as a model to rule by. Morocco's Hassan II is just such a king. Like le grand Charles, Hassan considers himself his country's indispensable man, and he may be right. Like De Gaulle he chose the device of a popular referendum when he decided to adopt a constitution (TIME, Dec. 28); his smashing victory won Hassan the rare esteem of his idol in Paris. Employing some Gaullist firmness, Hassan has now fired the three members of his Cabinet who represented the powerful Istiqlal party, filled their jobs with officials stoutly loyal to the throne.

Since Istiqlal was the party largely responsible for organizing Hassan's successful referendum, there were those who thought Hassan was a bit ungrateful. But Istiqlal leaders were pressing for close economic and diplomatic ties with Cairo, based on a common Islamic heritage, and demanding that Hassan pursue Morocco's claims to Spanish Sahara, Mauritania and part of Algeria's Sahara. Refusing to salaam to Gamal Abdel Nasser, King Hassan resisted, arguing that the nation's future lies less with the Arab world than with France and Europe's Common Market. He also opposed the nationalists' agitation on the border claims. Said Hassan's closest political confidant, Cabinet Director Ahmed Reda Guedira, after the purge: "The King had to get rid of the grains of sand which always kept the state machinery out of order ... the leaders and platforms of the old parties are stale, like empty eggshells."

It was Gaullist rhetoric, and it hinted of still another Gaullist touch. Rabat buzzed with rumors that Hassan was ready to organize his own political machine. According to one report, the name for the new group was already chosen: Union for New Royalty--U.N.R. They are the same initials as those of Charles de Gaulle's Union for the New Republic.

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