Moroccans express support for Tunisian president's calls

CAIRO - 21 August 2017: A few days after Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi called for gender equality in inheritance laws and legalizing Muslim women's marriage of non-Muslims, an expansive positive response by Moroccan society rose to the surface.

Morocco Today newspaper reported on Monday that a big number of citizens, activists, researchers and the well-accomplished elite expressed their support for both ideas on Facebook. They are calling for setting a comprehensive strategy to achieve gender equality including inheritance laws.

On August 11, the Tunisian president made these calls and was supported by the senior Islamic establishment in the country Dar el Iftaa'.

It is noted that Tunisia had banned polygamy in 1958, but its inheritance and marriage laws still follow Islamic Sharia like the rest of the Arab countries. In Sharia, females inherit half the value of the wealth inherited by their brothers.

If they have no brothers, they inherit two thirds of the parents' wealth while the rest goes to their aunts and uncles. If it is an only daughter, she inherits half the wealth.

Muslim women are only allowed to marry Muslim men; however, Muslim men are allowed to marry any woman who adopts an Abrahamic religion.