- Title: MOROCCO: Thousands rally in Rabat against government policies
- Date: 5th October 2013
- Summary: RABAT, MOROCCO (OCTOBER 5, 2013) (REUTERS) RALLY BEING HELD IN AN INDOOR ARENA MEN AND WOMEN CHANTING MEMBERS OF THE SOCIALIST UNION OF POPULAR FORCES (USFP) DRISS LACHGAR AND ABDELKARIM BENATIK STANDING ON STAGE, HAND IN HAND, HANDS RAISED VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDELKARIM BENATIK, MEMBER OF THE SOCIALIST UNION OF POPULAR FORCES (USFP) OPPOSITION PARTY, SAYING: "The message is clear and loud. If the government persists in making the lower and middle classes poorer, then we will face the danger of losing our social harmony and this can have serious consequences. This is why we hope that the head of the government should be aware of these dangers and open an urgent dialogue with the trade unions and also a political dialogue when it comes to taking the major and difficult decisions. These decisions should be taken in a collective way." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING, HOLDING UP PLACARDS TWO MEN HOLD UP PLACARDS READING (Arabic): "PRICES ARE UP, CITIZENS IN DANGER" AND "PHOSPHATES AND TWO SEAS, YET THE CITIZENS ARE POOR" TRADE UNIONIST, ABDELRAHMAN AZZOUZI, SPEAKING AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRADE UNIONIST AND LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR FEDERATION (FDT), ABDELRAHMAN AZZOUZI, SAYING: "In brief, the social dialogue is absent and there are no results following the meetings that took place between the trade unions and the government since it came to power. Also, this government is not implementing what remains from the previous agreements with the trade unions and does not respect the calendar of this dialogue. There is also the excess use of force against many peaceful demonstrations." RALLY IN PROGRESS DRISS LACHGAR, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE USFP, SPEAKING AT PODIUM PROTESTERS CHANTING GUESTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDALLAH BAKKALI, M.P. AND A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ISTIQLAL PARTY, SAYING: "We are here to express our full support to the political stand of our colleagues in the Socialist Party. We are here to confirm that we are working seriously to revive the Democratic Front and the strong coordination between its two mains components that are the Socialist Party and Istiqlal Party." LACHGAR SPEAKING AT PODIUM PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNER THROUGH OTHER PROTESTERS POSTER READING (Arabic): "BREAKING NEWS: TRADERS ON THEIR WAY TO BANKRUPTCY" PROTESTERS WAVING FLAGS
- Embargoed: 20th October 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Morocco
- Country: Morocco
- Topics: General,Economy,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACLGNUGXZ5PIHD8FKIXTY0LA5I
- Story Text: Thousands of Moroccans attended a rally in Rabat on Saturday (October 5) to protest against the government's economic policies.
Morocco's main Islamist opposition movement recently urged leftist groups to join a protest front against subsidy cuts as a shaky government prepares to raise energy prices as part of IMF-recommended budget reforms.
The government started reducing fuel subsidies last month and wants to bring energy prices closer to international market levels by reviewing them twice a month.
On Saturday, socialist leader Abdelkarim Benatik accused the government of not being in tune with the Moroccan people and called on them to consult other parties before making major decisions.
"The message is clear and loud. If the government persists in making the lower and middle classes poorer, then we will face the danger of losing our social harmony and this can have serious consequences. This is why we hope that the head of the government should be aware of these dangers and open an urgent dialogue with the trade unions and also a political dialogue when it comes to taking the major and difficult decisions. These decisions should be taken in a collective way," he said.
Morocco's cash-strapped government is launching its biggest economic policy change in years: root-and-branch reform of the system of food and energy subsidies which it uses to keep down the living costs of millions of people.
The reforms are needed to prevent heavy government borrowing from destabilising the economy, and could serve as a model for the governments of other Arab countries, such as Egypt, which need to repair their finances after the region's wave of unrest.
But opposition politicians say higher prices for food and fuel are causing misery to ordinary Moroccans.
Trade union leaders also accuse the government of not respecting agreements made between them and not allowing people to demonstrate freely.
"In brief, the social dialogue is absent and there are no results following the meetings that took place between the trade unions and the government since it came to power. Also, this government is not implementing what remains from the previous agreements with the trade unions and does not respect the calendar of this dialogue. There is also the excess use of force against many peaceful demonstrations," said Abderrahman Azzouzi of the Democratic Labour Federation.
Morocco's subsidy system began heading towards crisis in early 2011, when the government started sharply raising its spending on subsidies to buy social peace as uprisings engulfed other countries in the region.
Politically, the strategy worked: the country saw street protests demanding democracy and better economic management, but there was no sustained challenge to King Mohammed's government. The protests faded after the king introduced constitutional limits to his powers and let an Islamist party form a cabinet after elections.
But economically, the policy has left the government in an unsustainable position. State subsidies on food and energy jumped from 29.8 billion dirhams ($3.56 billion) in 2010 to 48.8 billion dirhams in 2011 and 53 billion dirhams, or nearly 7 percent of gross domestic product, in 2012. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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