From the very beginning the electoral discussions raised fundamental issues in Moroccan politics, precisely the type of questions that were most difficult to resolve in the new government. Until the Charter of Liberties was issued in the fall of 1958, there were no guarantees of the right to assemble or to organize for political purposes. The Istiqlal was still firmly united in 1957, but the P.D.I. (Parti Democratique de l'Independance), the most important minor party at the time, objected to the Istiqlal's predominance in the civil service and influence in Radio Maroc. There were rumors that the Ministry of the Interior favored an arbitrary, ``non-political'' process, which were indirectly affirmed when the King personally intervened in the planned meetings. The day following his intervention the palace issued a statement reassuring the citizens that ``the possibility of introducing appeals concerning the establishment of electoral lists, lists of candidates and finally the holding of the consultation itself'' would be supported by the King himself.

The Ifni crisis in the fall of 1957 postponed further consideration of elections, but French consultants were called in and notices of further investigation appeared from time to time. In January, 1958, the Minister of the Interior announced that an election law was ready to be submitted to the King, the rumors of election dates appeared once again, first for spring of 1958 and later for the summer. Although the government was probably prepared for elections by mid -- 1958, the first decision was no doubt made more difficult as party strife multiplied. In late 1957 the M.P. (Mouvement Populaire) appeared and in the spring of 1958 the internal strains of the Istiqlal was revealed when the third Council of Government under Balafrej was formed without support from progressive elements in the party. The parties were on the whole unprepared for elections, while the people were still experiencing post independence let-down and suffering the after effects of poor harvests in 1957.