Portugal Colonial - Morocco youth ask for king's ear at fresh protests

"We no longer have confidence in the government. We're waiting for the king to talk to us, he has to save his people," Raghd, a 23-year-old engineer who did not want to give his last name, told AFP at the protest in the capital Rabat.

Similar gatherings of dozens of protesters also took to the streets in Casablanca and Tangier.

Ahead of Thursday evening's demonstrations, government spokesman Mustapha Baitas made fresh calls for dialogue with the youth collective GenZ 212, whose members have been staging nationwide protests since late September to demand reforms and a change of government.

"The message has been received," Baitas said. "The government is working quickly to mobilise resources and address shortfalls."

The protesters have taken to the streets almost every night over the past weeks, with the unrest rocking the usually stable north African country.

Three people were killed in clashes with security forces last week, while police have made dozens of arrests.

"We hope the other side will come forward so that we can listen to their proposals and work on this issue together," Baitas said, noting that the authorities were "accelerating projects", particularly in healthcare.

- 'Faith in our king' -

Mohammed VI is set to give a speech at the opening of parliament's session on Friday.

Maati Monjib, a prominent historian who was one of 60 signatories to an open letter on Wednesday urging the monarch to begin fundamental reforms, warned that "the situation is very serious".

"There is a deterioration of the social infrastructure," said Monjib, who has thrown his weight behind the GenZ 212 movement and was present at the rally.

"The king must intervene to find a political solution. Otherwise, it will lead to violence."

Reda, a 22-year-old human resources management student, told AFP that she "tries to be optimistic and have faith in our king".

But like many other GenZ 212 protesters, she has no confidence in the head of government, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, and called on him to resign.

In a statement on Thursday, the collective demanded a "crackdown on corruption" and a "radical modernisation of school textbooks".

They also called for a national plan to renovate hospitals, recruit more doctors and healthcare workers -- particularly in remote areas -- and raise public health insurance reimbursement rates from 50 percent to 75 percent.

While Morocco's private clinics have expanded rapidly in recent years, public hospitals remain overcrowded and under-resourced.

Health Minister Amine Tehraoui on Tuesday described conditions in the sector as being marked by "chronic deficits".

Tehraoui said reforms have been underway since 2022, including plans to renovate and build 22 hospitals, open two new university medical centres in addition to the country's existing five, and rehabilitate 1,400 health facilities by the end of 2025.

According to official data, more than 10 million Moroccans out of a population of roughly 37 million have free health insurance as part of a gradual rollout of universal coverage launched in 2021.

P.L.Madureira--PC