King Mohammed VI of Morocco delivers a speech as his brother Prince Moulay Rachid listens, during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of his 1999 coronation at the Tetouan palace on Sunday.


Morocco's King Mohammed is pushing for early polls to hasten reforms he has initiated but this alone is unlikely to satisfy critics without serious steps to curb corruption and to give the next assembly teeth.

Some businesses hope quick polls can end paralysis in the governing coalition but many say the status quo -- which saw the government buy off discontent with wage hikes that have left gaping budget deficits -- cannot be sustained.