Abderrahmane Youssoufi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abderrahmane Youssoufi
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| Prime Minister of Morocco | |
| In office 4 February 1998 – 9 October 2002 |
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| Monarch | Hassan II Mohammed VI |
| Preceded by | Abdellatif Filali |
| Succeeded by | Driss Jettou |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 March 1924 Tangier, Morocco |
| Died | 29 May 2020 (aged 96) Casablanca, Morocco |
| Political party | Socialist Union of Popular Forces |
Abderrahmane Youssoufi (
i/ɑːbdɛˈræxmɑːn ˈjuːsuːfi/ ahb-DEH-rah-MAHN-_-YOO-soo; Arabic: عبد الرحمن اليوسفي; 8 March 1924 – 29 May 2020) was an important Moroccan politician and a lawyer who worked for human rights. He served as the 12th Prime Minister of Morocco from 1998 to 2002. He worked under two kings, King Hassan II and King Mohammed VI. He was also the leader of a political group called the Socialist Union of Popular Forces.
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Early Life and Education
Abderrahmane Youssoufi was born in Tangier, a city in Morocco. From a young age, he believed in Socialism, which is a way of organizing society where everyone shares resources. As early as 1944, he worked to help organize the working class (people who work for wages) in Casablanca.
In 1949, Youssoufi also started fighting for the rights of Moroccan workers who had moved to France. He studied law and worked as a lawyer in Tangier from 1952 to 1960.
Family Background
Youssoufi's family were Berbers, an ethnic group native to North Africa. He spoke only Tamazight (a Berber language) and French when he was very young. He learned standard Arabic and Darija (Moroccan Arabic) when he started school.
Fighting for Independence
Youssoufi joined the Moroccan Army of Liberation, which fought for Morocco's freedom. He became part of the Al Istiqlal (Independence) Party when he was just 19 years old. He was very dedicated to making Morocco a free country. The Moroccan police even nicknamed him "Lenin" because of his strong belief in Nationalism (being very proud of and loyal to one's country). He was arrested two times and even went to prison for his political beliefs. He was a key figure in Morocco's political history and helped create the Arab Organization for Human Rights.
Political Career
In 1959, Youssoufi helped start a left-wing political party called the National Union of Popular Forces. He was arrested for his involvement in 1959 and again in 1963. The second arrest led to him spending two years in prison. After he was released, Youssoufi chose to live outside Morocco in Paris for 15 years.
Later, he returned to Morocco. His political party changed its name to the Socialist Union of Popular Forces. Youssoufi became its permanent representative outside the country. In 1978, he became a member of its main political group. In 1980, Youssoufi officially joined the new party. He became the party's secretary in 1992 after the death of Abderrahim Bouabid.
In 1983, he also helped create the Arab Organization for Human Rights. He worked with an Egyptian sociologist, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, and a French-Syrian sociologist, Burhan Ghalioun.
Becoming Prime Minister
On February 4, 1998, Youssoufi's party won the 1997 Moroccan general election. Because of this, King Hassan II chose Youssoufi to be the Prime Minister of Morocco. Youssoufi formed a government that aimed to give more freedoms to the people and the media.
In 2002, his party was re-elected in the 2002 Moroccan general election. However, King Mohammed VI chose a different person, Driss Jettou, to be the next Prime Minister. Driss Jettou was a "technocrat," meaning he was an expert in a specific field rather than a career politician. On October 28, 2003, Abderrahmane Youssoufi stepped down from his role as the First Secretary of his party.
Later Life
In February 2005, Youssoufi announced that he was retiring from politics. He then lived in Casablanca. On October 15, 2016, Youssoufi was hospitalized with pneumonia. King Mohammed VI visited him in the hospital. Abderrahmane Youssoufi did not have any children.
Death
Abderrahmane Youssoufi passed away on May 29, 2020. He was 96 years old. He died because of lung cancer. His funeral was held on a Friday at the “Chouhada” (martyrs) cemetery in Casablanca. Only a small number of relatives were there because of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time.
Awards and Recognition
National Honours
- Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Throne.
In 1991, Youssoufi was one of two people to win the North-South Prize. This award recognizes efforts to improve relations between different parts of the world. In 2016, King Mohammed VI honored Youssoufi by naming an avenue in Tangier after him.
See Also
In Spanish: Abderramán Yusufi para niños
