Opposition in upper house questions 2026 budget’s ability to reverse social decline

 Opposition groups in the House of Councillors on Wednesday cast doubt on the 2026 draft finance bill, arguing that it falls short of addressing what they described as years of decline across key social sectors under the current government.

During a plenary session, the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT) group said the bill comes at a time of “major economic, social and environmental challenges,” both domestically and internationally. The group said the government’s vision remains “ambitious on paper” but requires deeper measures to confront mounting pressures.

UMT representatives pointed to declining agricultural output (particularly cereals) reduced livestock production due to climate change and water scarcity, and a jobless rate that has exceeded 13 percent. They also cited what they called weak performance in several social sectors.

To counter government claims of progress, the group presented data highlighting gaps in the labor market. Fewer than 3.8 million employees were declared to the social security system, they said, with only 2.5 million of them actively registered.

They also noted continued job insecurity among women and the exploitation of more than 180,000 workers, particularly in cleaning, security and catering services in educational institutions.

The UMT also warned that the informal economy, which they said accounts for roughly 30 percent of GDP, continues to evade taxes and social contributions. Government programs meant to support purchasing power, the group added, have been undermined by “dominant actors” in distribution chains who raised prices sharply “without accountability,” blunting the impact on households.

The group called for a general wage increase, higher pension benefits, and stronger protections for workers. It also urged measures to curb price manipulation, reduce rural poverty and improve conditions for more than one million agricultural workers employed in difficult conditions for low pay.

UMT councillors further called for prioritizing food and energy sovereignty, expanding local integration in industrial production and accelerating structural transformation to strengthen national economic independence.

The Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) group also criticized the bill, saying it appears “technically coherent at first glance” but ultimately lacks social depth.

The group said the proposal “magnifies numbers without reflecting the daily struggles of citizens,” focusing on investment ratios and growth projections “without measuring their social impact.”

The USFP said the draft focuses on macroeconomic balance while ignoring the “psychological and social balance” of Moroccan households. The group announced it would vote against the bill, arguing it “does not meet the expectations of the moment,” nor adequately reflect the king’s directives on social and territorial justice.

The Popular Movement group delivered a sharper political critique, saying the government’s most notable outcome over the past four years has been “pushing nearly all segments of society into the streets,” including engineers, teachers, doctors, students and other groups.

Revisiting the past, the group argued, “will not convince Moroccans, who know precisely what each party has contributed to governance.”