Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch confirmed on Saturday that he will not run for the presidency of his party again, which effectively distances him from leading the government after the parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, Muhammad Shouki was elected as the new president of the National Rally of Independents, amid youth protests. Despite criticism of Akhannouch's conflict of interests, he strongly defends his economic record.

Published on: 02/08/2026 - 14:05

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch confirmed on Saturday that he will not run again for the presidency of his party, which effectively distances him from heading the government after the parliamentary elections scheduled for the fall.

The announcement came during a conference of his party, the National Rally of Independents, in the coastal city of El Jadida, located 190 kilometers south of the capital, Rabat.

Akhannouch said, "Before you today, I confirm that the decision not to seek a third term (at the head of the party) was a serious decision that was deeply thought about," indicating his desire to respect the internal rule that limits the number of consecutive terms at the head of the party to two.

Later on Saturday, the National Rally of Independents elected Mohamed Chouki to head the party, a member of parliament unknown to public opinion, and the CEO of the Moroccan financing company AD Capital, according to the local Media 24 website.

Youth pressures, criticism, and conflicts of interest

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy in which the government has broad powers, but King Mohammed VI determines the country's main strategic directions.

Aziz Akhannouch, a wealthy 64-year-old businessman who has led the government since 2021, has been called to resign by the “Generation Z212” group, which organized massive youth demonstrations between late September and October to demand improvements in public health and education services. The government had announced an increase in allocations to the two sectors in the 2026 budget.

Akhannouch defends his record at the head of the government, highlighting the economic recovery that followed the Covid pandemic, pushing social programs including expanding medical coverage and providing direct aid to modest families, as well as achieving stable growth despite the long period of drought.

His tenure was accompanied by criticism regarding conflicts of interest related to his activities in the fuel sector, as he owns the Africa Company, which manages major gas station networks in the country, as well as his communication, which was considered limited with citizens.

France 24/AFP

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