Akhannouch Extends Hand to "Generation Z": Moroccan Government Pledges Institutional Dialogue After Deadly Protests

Following a wave of unfortunate and violent protests that swept across several cities in Morocco, resulting in three deaths and numerous injuries, Moroccan Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, announced his government's readiness to adopt an approach based on institutional dialogue and discussion to address social demands.

In a speech, Akhannouch addressed the recent developments, stating: "We followed the regrettable developments in the past two days in several cities which resulted in the death of 3 people," adding that these events saw "dangerous escalation that affected security and led to the injury of hundreds of security personnel." The Head of Government stressed that the only effective approach to confronting Morocco's challenges is "the dialogue-based approach."

Akhannouch’s statements come at a critical time, as the youth movement known as "Generation Z 212" called for new "peaceful" demonstrations today, Thursday. This movement demands improved public services, following a night of violence that saw two people killed by security forces' bullets.

In its call for protests, circulated on the "Discord" platform, "Generation Z 212" emphasized the need to "maintain peacefulness." The movement reiterated its core demands, focusing on providing "education worthy of a human being and without disparities" and "health for every citizen without exceptions."

Despite rigorous security measures, including intervention by security forces to prevent the protests on the grounds of not being authorized, and the arrest of hundreds of participants in major cities like Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Oujda, and Tangier, the protests did not cease but instead spread to include other cities, posing a significant challenge that requires a swift and effective government response.