IN Morocco, there are equations that may be difficult to grasp for those unfamiliar with the country’s vast geographic region and their social realities, which are closely tied to the Royal Palace. As a result, the King’s speeches always reflect the people’s demands and direct them to officials and institutions.
The fundamental pillar has always been the joint struggle of the late King Mohammed V, supported by his then Crown Prince Hassan II, and the Moroccan people in resisting colonialism until achieving independence in 1956, along with a firm determination never to return to the past, regardless of the cost. The pursuit of progress is a fundamental instinct of the Moroccan people, which is why they are always eager to learn, grow, and benefit from experiences.
This strong bond between the people and the Royal Palace is not a recent phenomenon. It has been evident since the founding of the monarchy in 1666. Morocco has faced many challenges, both internal and external, but it has consistently emerged stronger. During the so-called ‘Arab Spring’, some foreign parties predicted that the Kingdom of Morocco was at risk. However, time proved them wrong, and the opposite turned out to be true. Today, there are parties outside Morocco who, out of ignorance, attempt to fish in troubled waters through desperate and aimless efforts in the dark.
They fail to grasp the depth and strength of the bond between the Moroccan people, the Palace, and the King. Moroccan democracy has matured to the point where political parties and civil society understand the strategic boundaries that must not be crossed, especially under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, who consistently highlights institutional shortcomings in his speeches. During his frequent visits to cities and villages, he engages directly with citizens and learns about their conditions firsthand, without barriers. King Mohammed VI possesses a strong acumen for fieldwork and is not content with merely reading the reports submitted to his office.
It is a serious mistake for some parties to portray recent events as a new wave of the ‘Arab Spring’. Throughout its history, brutality has never been a principle of governance in Morocco, instead, ongoing dialogue has been the preferred path, as it always leads to constructive outcomes. While King Mohammed VI conveys the voice of the people to officials within a constitutional monarchy that has proven its strength and stability, the young Crown Prince Hassan bin Mohammed bin Hassan speaks the language of his generation and approaches issues realistically and with courage.
Hence, when he called on protesters to clearly express their demands, he was, in effect, sending a message to officials and institutions that certain practices are being questioned and must be addressed directly. Based on this reality, Morocco is doing so well and enjoying a vibrant social democratic movement.
Therefore, all members of Parliament have adopted a clear position that can be summarized as follows: What is happening now is considered a collective call to review political and institutional performance, without falling into the quagmire of squabbling, exchanging accusations, and selectively putting responsibility on other parties. The social media incitement emanating from outside the Kingdom is very strange. Facts on the ground prove that what is circulating on social media is utterly false.
The storms raised on social media quickly fade, because they contradict the facts, so the people ignore them. The Kingdom of Morocco is rich in resources, foremost of which are the human resources capable of doing miracles in that strategic region. Thus, the social demands seem normal to anyone familiar with Morocco’s vast landscape and its constant presence in global investment forums as a promising destination. These facts make addressing urgent problems easier, while following the path set by King Mohammed VI, who is open to his people.
This is the reason why in his last Throne Speech, King Mohammed VI made it clear: “We know very well that I will not be satisfied, regardless of the level of economic development and infrastructure, if it does not contribute to improving the living conditions of citizens from all social classes and in all regions. Therefore, we have always attached special importance to promoting human development, universalizing social protection, and providing support directly to needy families.” With these words, King Mohammed VI laid down the broad guidelines for the government and Parliament to fulfill their roles faithfully.
King Mohammed VI emphasized that his goal is to advance Morocco to a level that satisfies the people. The King is the voice of his own people and he is their sincere representative. I reiterate that Moroccan democracy is mature enough to move to a new phase of performance improvement, in accordance with the instructions that King Mohammed VI conveyed to institutions, which reflect the demands of the people. On this basis, Morocco is doing so well and it will be better in the future under the wise royal rule.
