Morocco’s government program faces scrutiny over prices, corruption and detainees

Morocco’s House of Representatives held a plenary session Thursday to debate the government program presented by the coalition led by Head of Government Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, with parliamentary group leaders raising concerns over corruption, purchasing power, public services, fuel prices and the future of the Samir refinery.

The debate also highlighted calls for the release of Hirak Rif and Gen Z detainees, renewed claims over Ceuta and Melilla, and questions about the government’s employment targets and social assistance policies.

Representatives of opposition parties challenged the government to provide concrete measures, financial guarantees and measurable targets, while members of the governing coalition called for stronger oversight, anti-corruption legislation and improvements to public services.

Here are the key takeaways from the debate.

PAM calls for stronger oversight to curb corruption and conflicts of interest

Adil Bitar, head of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) parliamentary group, criticized previous governments over conflicts of interest, arguing that weak oversight and excessive intermediaries had allowed certain groups to benefit from market distortions at the expense of consumers.

Bitar cited what he described as cases of “legislative rent-seeking,” including tax exemptions in 2018, customs duties on polystyrene in 2021, the contract for Casablanca’s desalination plant and preferential treatment for fuel companies following the removal of public subsidies for the sector.

On territorial integrity, he called for continued national and diplomatic efforts to regain Ceuta, Melilla and the occupied Moroccan islands, citing historical and legal grounds and the importance of dialogue.

RNI criticizes government program for lacking a change of course

Yassine Akacha, head of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) parliamentary group, criticized El Mansouri’s program, arguing that it largely continues the policies of the previous government despite promises of a different approach.

Akacha questioned what new policies the government intended to introduce, what financial and institutional guarantees supported its commitments, and how Parliament would assess its performance. He said the RNI would act as a constructive opposition without simply endorsing the government.

He also criticized the lack of a clear plan for administrative deconcentration and said the program did not include a commitment to reduce income tax from 37% to 20%.

On social assistance, Akacha questioned why the government planned to raise monthly direct aid to MAD 1,000 only by 2031. He also sought clarification on its pledge to eliminate the eligibility index used to determine recipients.

Employment was another point of contention. Akacha highlighted the gap between the promise to create 1 million net jobs and the program’s target of 250,000, questioning whether the 360,000 jobs associated with the 2030 FIFA World Cup would continue after the tournament.

Istiqlal calls for anti-corruption measures and respect for sovereignty

Rahal Mekkaoui, head of the Istiqlal parliamentary group, urged the government to accelerate legislation addressing corruption and conflicts of interest and protecting whistleblowers.

He warned that rent-seeking, conflicts of interest and greed were undermining public trust and fueling public frustration. He also called for the completion of judicial reforms and stronger judicial independence, alongside additional human and financial resources for the Court of Accounts and its regional branches.

On purchasing power, Mekkaoui said rising prices continued to place pressure on low- and middle-income households despite approximately MAD 280 billion in spending by the previous government. He argued that speculation and unfair competition had weakened the impact of wage increases and direct financial assistance.

Addressing relations with Spain, Mekkaoui said bilateral cooperation must not come at the expense of Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said the recovery of Ceuta, Melilla and the Chafarinas Islands remained an objective.

He criticized Spanish political parties that he accused of exploiting the issue for political and media purposes, warning that such rhetoric could fuel hatred and racial and ethnic discrimination.

Mekkaoui said Morocco-Spain relations should be based on mutual trust, respect and dialogue, without pressure or threats.

He also called for improvements to public hospitals, shorter waiting times for treatment and medical appointments, stronger public schools, measures to reduce school dropout and expanded preschool services.

PJD calls for release of Rif and Gen Z detainees

Idriss El Azami Idrissi, head of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) parliamentary group, opposed the government’s plan to establish regional companies to help curb rising prices and support purchasing power, warning that the initiative could concentrate market control in the hands of wealthy and influential groups.

He recalled previous pledges by members of the governing coalition to cap fuel profit margins and resume refining operations at the Samir refinery.

El Azami Idrissi also called on El Mansouri to begin her term by securing the release of Hirak Rif detainees, lawyer Mohamed Ziane, Gen Z protesters and other detainees. He said such a move would ease the suffering of detainees and their families while helping create a more positive political climate and strengthen national unity.

He questioned why the government had not introduced new major strategies called for by King Mohammed VI, arguing that it had instead revived policies it had previously criticized.

On reform of the Family Code, El Azami Idrissi said any amendments should respect Morocco’s religious, national and constitutional principles.

He also criticized the Spanish king’s visit to Ceuta and what he described as provocative campaigns by Spanish and European political and media circles targeting Morocco and its national symbols. He reiterated Morocco’s claims over Ceuta, Melilla, the Chafarinas Islands and other occupied territories, saying such visits would not alter their status in Morocco’s national claims.

Movement Party questions government on Samir refinery and public spending

Rim Chabat of the Popular Movement called on the government to clarify the future of the Samir refinery, arguing that it could not promote economic sovereignty and protect purchasing power while leaving the facility’s fate unresolved amid rising fuel prices.

She urged the state to acquire the refinery’s assets, convert public debt into company shares, modernize the facility and restore its financial balance within five years.

Chabat also called for a study on building a new oil refinery, noting that the proposals had featured in the election program of a party now represented in the governing coalition.

On health care, she said plans to expand family doctors and primary care did not reflect conditions in villages and rural communes without doctors. She warned against relying on digital solutions without providing sufficient medical equipment and staff.

Chabat also criticized the government program for dropping the pledge to create 1 million jobs and failing to address university grants. She questioned how students could pursue scientific research on a daily allowance of just MAD 20.

She called for concrete measures to cap prices, remove age limits and publish assessments of the Green Morocco Plan and other national strategies.

Chabat also challenged the government to support a parliamentary fact-finding committee examining the MAD 280 billion in public funds distributed by the previous government.

USFP calls for concrete measures to lower food prices

Hassan Lachgar of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) welcomed the government’s plans to regulate markets, tackle monopolistic practices and improve distribution, but said their success would ultimately depend on whether households could afford basic goods.

He called for clear criteria governing subsidies, regular price monitoring and public disclosure of who benefits from government measures and what results they produce, allowing Parliament and citizens to assess their effectiveness.

Lachgar said the upcoming Finance Bill should include specific measures to make essential goods more affordable.

On health care, he called for measurable targets to reduce waiting times, address staff shortages, improve patient reception and ensure more equitable access to services across regions.

He also urged the government to improve learning outcomes, reduce school dropout rates, upgrade schools in rural and disadvantaged areas and ensure fair treatment of education workers. He called for accountability without placing the blame for broader systemic problems solely on teachers, while emphasizing the importance of early childhood education.

Constitutional Democratic and Social Group questions social assistance criteria

Chaoui Belassal, head of the Constitutional Democratic and Social Group, called for a review of the social index used to determine eligibility for direct assistance, arguing that it does not always reflect households’ actual financial circumstances or living costs.

He warned that families excluded from direct aid could also lose access to health coverage.

Belassal called for greater investment in young people through vocational training tailored to labor market needs, with the aim of improving access to employment.

He described the government program as setting out realistic objectives and figures while combining ongoing projects with new measures. He also welcomed its commitment to address delays in reforms, particularly advanced regionalization and administrative deconcentration.

PPS calls for action against corruption and release of detainees

Ahmad El Abbadi of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) called for measures to restore public trust, including efforts to secure the release of Hirak Rif detainees and others held over peaceful protests.

He said the public was waiting for concrete action against corruption, rent-seeking, conflicts of interest and illicit enrichment.

El Abbadi said the government program aligned with his party’s priorities on economic sovereignty, industrial development and addressing shortcomings in agricultural policy.

He also highlighted youth employment, vocational training, education and rising prices, calling for improvements to distribution and marketing systems.

Left Alliance criticizes omissions on free health care and education

Nabila Jallal of the Left Alliance criticized the government program for failing to adequately address problems in health care and education.

She pointed to violence against preschool teachers outside Parliament, deteriorating public services, staff shortages and what she described as the private sector’s 91% share of health insurance spending.

Jallal said the program made no mention of free health care or education, including at the university level, and did not provide for higher student grants.

On detainees, she said the alliance would submit for a third time a proposal for a comprehensive general amnesty covering Hirak Rif detainees, Gen Z protesters and other political detainees, journalists, bloggers, trade unionists and opponents of normalization with Israel.

Jallal also stressed that Moroccans living abroad should be treated as full citizens rather than merely as sources of remittances, calling for a legal framework to protect their rights and ensure effective representation in public institutions.

She criticized the government for failing to set a clear employment target, saying the program did not explain how it would deliver on the promise of 1 million jobs, reduce unemployment or address the minimum wage.