Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday called on lawmakers to act with “seriousness” and defend citizens’ interests, saying there should be no rivalry between major development projects as long as the goal remains improving people’s livelihoods.
In an address to open the new parliamentary session, the monarch urged Parliament to accelerate reforms aimed at creating jobs for young people, improving public services, and paying greater attention to rural areas.
The speech came a week after large-scale demonstrations led by young Moroccans demanding better healthcare, education, and an end to corruption.
In his speech opening the autumn session of Parliament, King Mohammed VI stressed the importance of raising public awareness about government initiatives, particularly those related to citizens’ freedoms. He said that task also falls on political parties, elected representatives, the media, and “all the living forces of the nation.”
The king stressed the need to speed up the “rising Morocco” development process by launching a new generation of territorial development projects and ensuring that all citizens benefit from the fruits of growth. He called for accelerating reforms to generate employment and reduce rural disparities.
“The level of local development reflects the progress of a rising and united Morocco,” the monarch said, adding that tackling regional inequalities “is not merely a slogan or a temporary priority, but a strategic direction that all stakeholders must commit to.”
King Mohammed VI urged a faster pace in implementing territorial development programs, especially in job creation, healthcare, education, and in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable regions while promoting sustainable development along Morocco’s coastlines.
He said particular attention must be given to fragile regions, taking into account their specific needs and characteristics. “It has become necessary to rethink the development of mountain areas, which cover 30 percent of the national territory, and to provide them with an integrated public policy that reflects their unique features and vast potential,” the king said.
He also called for the effective and serious implementation of sustainable development mechanisms along the nation’s coasts, including the coastal law and national plan, to balance rapid development with environmental protection. The king urged expanding rural centers as hubs to manage urban growth and reduce its negative impact, making them “effective links” in bringing administrative, social, and economic services closer to rural citizens.
The king’s speech came a day after renewed demonstrations by the “Gen Z 212” movement on Thursday, when dozens of young protesters gathered outside Parliament demanding “the right to health, education, social justice, fighting corruption, and the government’s resignation.”
Thursday marked the eleventh day of the “Gen Z” protests. The movement released a new document reiterating demands for health and education rights, anti-corruption measures, and the departure of the government.
Meanwhile, the Moroccan government continues to express willingness to engage in dialogue with the “Gen Z” movement.
Government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas said at a weekly press conference following Thursday’s cabinet meeting that dialogue “requires two parties,” stressing the need for an identifiable group of youth representatives with whom the government can negotiate.
