Morocco social assistance and election debates intensify

As Morocco approaches legislative elections on September 23, the issue of direct social assistance has become a central theme in political campaigning. Parties are debating the criteria used to determine eligibility for aid and the value of monthly payments.

Fouzi Lekjaa, a member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party and Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, has proposed increasing the minimum monthly support for needy families from approximately 500 dirhams to at least 1,000 dirhams. Lekjaa criticized current indicators that disqualify families based on the possession of simple items like mobile phones, bicycles, or motorcycles, arguing that support should be based on real income and actual need.

Meanwhile, the current government coalition—comprising the National Rally of Independents, the Authenticity and Modernity Party, and the Istiqlal Party—faces significant pressure. Opposition leaders from the Socialist Progress Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces, and the Popular Movement have called for ‘punitive voting’ to express public dissatisfaction with the government's performance regarding inflation, employment, education, and healthcare.