Morocco: Continuation of Generation Z Protests Against Corruption

SadaNews - Mass protests led by supporters of the "Generation Z 212" movement continue in Morocco, with hundreds of young people taking to the streets in several cities to demand the eradication of corruption, improvements in public services in education and health, and the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. This marks the tenth consecutive day of these protests, which have entered their second week.

Moroccan Minister of Youth and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, called on the government and youth movement leaders to initiate direct dialogue, pointing out that the issues in the education and health sectors are inherited from previous governments, and that discussions should move from the virtual world to official institutions.

Major cities saw significant participation; in Casablanca, protesters gathered in the popular Al-Fida neighborhood chanting slogans such as: "The people want the fall of corruption" and "Akhannouch must go," while demonstrators in Tetouan raised similar slogans.

In the capital, Rabat, the gathering was smaller, with about a hundred protesters in front of the parliament shouting: "Long live the people" and "The government is corrupt."

The "Generation Z" movement, which includes over 185,000 members on the "Discord" platform, emphasizes the peaceful nature of the protests, rejecting any form of violence or destruction, and considering themselves a group of free young people not affiliated with any political party.

The spark for the protests ignited in mid-September following the death of eight pregnant women in a public hospital in Agadir during cesarean sections, which sparked public outrage.

Despite the movement's commitment to peacefulness, some cities witnessed limited acts of violence, where three individuals were killed by the gendarmerie while attempting to storm a police station in the village of Qiliia near Agadir to seize weapons and ammunition.

The government has reiterated its readiness to engage in dialogue with the movement, aiming to shift the discussion from the virtual realm to formal frameworks, with the goal of addressing youth demands and achieving tangible reforms in public services.