HM King to address Moroccan people Friday evening

Morocco's King Mohammed VI will address the nation Friday, the royal palace announced, after a commission last week presented him with proposed constitutional reforms.

The evening address would be broadcast on national radio and television, the palace said in a statement Thursday.

He would likely outline the proposed amendments, an official source said on condition of anonymity. It did not say what the king would speak about but an official source said on condition of anonymity that he would outline the proposed amendments handed to him a week ago by a commission he appointed in March to look into reform.

"The king is going to present the broad lines of the constitutional revision which has been submitted to political parties and will be made public after the speech," the source said.
He "will also call for a 'yes' vote for the plan to revise the current constitution," the source said.

The proposals are expected to be put to a referendum early July. They notably foresee a reduction in the powers of the king in favour of a prime minister.