Morocco’s lower house broadcast its 2026 budget committee debates live this week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing citizens to follow exchanges between ministers and lawmakers over spending plans and social priorities.
The decision, taken under Article 128 of the House of Representatives’ internal rules, marks a rare exception to Article 68 of the Constitution, which designates committee work as confidential except in cases of urgency or public interest.
The sessions exposed friction between ruling and opposition blocs as Morocco enters the final year of its legislative term. Lawmakers pressed ministers on tariff revisions in the draft Finance Bill, including a proposal to reduce import duties on pharmaceutical products while raising others. The measure, still under review by the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products, became a flashpoint in discussions on healthcare funding and import policy.
The Finance and Economic Development Committee will resume meetings Friday to examine the budgets of constitutional institutions and amendments to the 2026 Finance Bill, which outlines priorities for social programs, subsidies and investment incentives.
Constitutional law scholar Abdelali Benlias said the move complies with parliamentary rules and court interpretations allowing openness in cases of public interest. “It reflects an institutional shift toward transparency within the limits defined by the Constitution,” he said.
Political scientist Rachid Lazraq said broadcasting the hearings strengthens public oversight by bringing fiscal debates into the open. “It helps reconnect Parliament with citizens and illustrates how policy decisions are negotiated in real time,” he said.
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