Rabat — Mohamed Ouzine, Secretary General of the Popular Movement Party, spoke highly of recent youth-led protests across several Moroccan cities.
He described the GenZ212 protests as peaceful, civilized, and full of valuable lessons.
“These demonstrations reflected a high level of awareness among this generation, which held firmly to national values and the country’s symbols,” Ouzine said in a video posted on his social media accounts.
The opposition leader stressed that demands for healthcare, education, dignity, and employment remain fundamental rights that cannot be disputed or used for political gain.
Ouzine explained that his party chose to wait before expressing its position on the protests, wanting to see how the government would respond first.
“Since the government bears primary responsibility for addressing these demands,” the politician added.
He further expressed hope that the government would respond positively to the youth, “unlike how it treats us, ignoring our demands and any proposals or initiatives we put forward.*
The party’s leader stressed that his party did not want to appear as though it was “jumping on the bandwagon or making political capital” from the protests.
“We are a national party practicing citizen-based opposition, far from gloating or political exploitation,” he added.
Speaking of the current situation in the country, he said, “We have a wise king and a patient people.”
He also warned against “exhausting Moroccans’ patience, especially since they are not asking for anything extraordinary.”
Ouzine addressed his criticism towards the government for meeting the protests with silence, calling this silence *provocative and showing much stubbornness and contempt.”
Ouzine concluded by stressing that the real problem goes beyond the healthcare and education sectors.
The core issue, he said, lies in “the absence of a government vision to implement major projects within the framework of fair social policies that protect citizens’ dignity.”
