Taroudant – Much buzz has been created due to statements defending ministers’ retirements made by Charafat Afilal, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy.
In response, a Moroccan activist launched an online petition on December 19 demanding that ministers’ and parliamentarians’ retirements be repealed.
Activist Mayssa Salama Ennaji launched the petition on ipetitions.com. The petition calls on Moroccan King Mohammed VI to repeal Ministers and parliamentarians’ retirement benefits.
The petition also urges the “representatives of the people” to give up their pensions and threatens with boycotting the “upcoming legislative elections.”
The petition, which aims to collect 50,000 signatures, has already garnered more than 16,462 signatures and 7,803 comments.
Ennaji explained that several former ministers whose scandals made international headlines will have a retirement despite their “proven scandals”.
“We are not against enrichment, but we are against it through politics, especially through institutions such as Parliament and the government,” the petition said.
The statements made by Aflial at Mohammed Tijini’s TV show Dayf Al Oula last Tuesday have created an uproar among social media users, with voices calling on the Minister to step down.
When asked about her opinion regarding the social discontent over MPs and Ministers’ pensions, Aflial dismissed the question, considering it as “populist debate” that does not deserve elaboration.
Moroccans were very angry after Aflial dismissed MPs and Ministers’ pension as “zuj frank” (two cents) while in fact other Moroccans work hard for 40 years to qualify for retirement. This is for most workers a very humble pension compared to those received by parliamentarians and ministers, who may work just for five years.
