Morocco’s monarch has overseen a conservative cabinet reshuffle that favours political continuity over radical reform, despite mounting public anxiety over punishing living costs, devastating drought, and escalating regional friction.
The ministerial shake-up, sanctioned by King Mohammed VI and led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, has kept core security, foreign policy, and economic portfolios firmly in the hands of established technocrats, Al Jazeera reported. While several junior ministries changed hands, the retention of heavyweight figures signals Rabat’s determination to stay the course rather than pivot in response to simmering domestic dissatisfaction.
Technocrats hold the reins in Rabat
The decision to double down on familiar personnel underscores the palace’s enduring preference for institutional stability. Al Jazeera noted that sovereign ministries—including foreign affairs, interior, and Islamic affairs, which operate under the direct purview of the palace—remain largely unaltered.
Prime Minister Akhannouch, a billionaire businessman who assumed office in 2021, has faced persistent scrutiny over his administration’s market-oriented agenda. Critics have argued that the government has moved too slowly to cushion the blow of global inflationary shocks, leaving vulnerable households exposed. Nevertheless, the royal palace appears satisfied that the current team possesses the administrative discipline required to execute ambitious infrastructure projects, including major public works ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
Cost-of-living crunch meets historic drought
Underneath the polished veneer of continuity lies a fragile domestic landscape. Morocco is grappling with its sixth consecutive year of severe drought, which has decimated agricultural output, crippled rural employment, and placed unprecedented strain on national water reserves.
With agriculture traditionally accounting for roughly a third of the kingdom’s workforce, rural flight into urban peripheries has accelerated. Food prices have surged, leaving everyday staples increasingly prohibitive for working-class households. Trade unions and civil society groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm over stagnant wages and youth unemployment, which hovers above 35 per cent in urban centres. By failing to introduce fresh economic thinkers to the cabinet table, analysts warn that the administration risks appearing detached from the daily privations of ordinary citizens.
Geopolitical fault lines harden across Maghreb
The domestic unease unfolds against an equally fraught international backdrop. Rabat continues to navigate tense diplomatic relations with neighbouring Algeria, driven by long-standing disputes over Western Sahara and divergent stances on regional security.
Since normalising ties with Israel in late 2020 as part of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords, Morocco has sought to balance strategic defence agreements with broad domestic sympathy for the Palestinian cause. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has sparked regular, large-scale street demonstrations in major cities, placing additional pressure on the government’s foreign policy stance.
By preserving its established diplomatic guard, the Moroccan leadership hopes to maintain external stability while managing regional volatility. Whether this measured continuity can appease an increasingly restive public at home, however, remains Rabat’s most pressing test.