Akhannouch Reaffirms Social Dialogue as Core Pillar of Morocco’s Reform

Rabat — Morocco’s approach to social dialogue has evolved into a core political strategy, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch said on Friday, stressing that the government views negotiations with labor and social partners as a long-term policy choice rather than a temporary response to economic pressures.

Speaking during the April round of the national social dialogue session in Rabat, Akhannouch said the government has prioritized measures aimed at strengthening purchasing power, protecting workers’ dignity, and improving household incomes as part of the broader project of building the social state.

“The executive has never approached social dialogue as a circumstantial commitment, but as a clear political choice,” he said, emphasizing that the objective has been to translate dialogue into concrete outcomes felt directly by civil servants, employees, and Moroccan families through their monthly income and ability to cope with rising living costs.

Shift toward institutional dialogue

Akhannouch noted that the government, in line with the directives of King Mohammed VI, has moved away from ad hoc crisis management toward a structured and institutionalized dialogue process, supported by regular deadlines, mechanisms, and clear commitments.

He described the April 30, 2022 agreement as a turning point that relaunched dialogue with labor unions and employers, transforming it from a symbolic exercise into a framework for practical measures targeting the daily realities of workers.

Among the most notable steps in the public sector, the government raised the net minimum salary first to 3,500 dirhams and later to 4,500 dirhams, while eliminating salary scale 7, increasing promotion quotas to 36%, and improving family allowances.

In the private sector, the government introduced a 20% increase in the minimum wage for industry, commerce, and liberal professions, alongside a 25% rise in the agricultural minimum wage, in an effort to improve working conditions and strengthen income levels.

Pension, tax, and salary reforms

Akhannouch also highlighted what he described as a “human-centered” pension reform, lowering the contribution threshold required to qualify for retirement benefits from 3,240 days to 1,320 days. The old-age pension was also increased by 5% with retroactive effect.

He said the social dialogue process entered a second, deeper phase following the April 29, 2024 agreement, which expanded the social and financial impact of the measures already adopted.

Under that agreement, the government approved a general net increase of 1,000 dirhams for civil servants, territorial employees, and public institution workers who had not previously benefited from salary revisions.

Tax reform was also presented as a major pillar of the government’s purchasing power agenda. Through the 2025 Finance Law, the annual tax exemption threshold was raised from 30,000 dirhams to 40,000 dirhams, effectively exempting monthly salaries below 6,000 dirhams from income tax.

Billions mobilized for social protection

The prime minister said the government has mobilized nearly 46 billion dirhams by 2026 to ensure the effective implementation of wage increases and related social commitments.

According to the figures presented, around 4.25 million people have benefited from income improvements since the launch of the dialogue rounds, including 1.25 million public sector employees and 3 million private sector workers.

Akhannouch added that support measures extended beyond wages, pointing to interventions designed to limit price increases, support transport professionals, and reduce electricity bills.

Government support for road transport alone reached 8.63 billion dirhams, distributed across 16 installments between March 2022 and May 2024.

He also highlighted the Royal Direct Social Assistance Program as a key pillar in protecting the most vulnerable households, noting that since its launch in December 2023, total aid disbursements have reached 52 billion dirhams, benefiting more than 3.9 million families, or over 12 million people.

The head of government said these measures have helped preserve Morocco’s macroeconomic stability while easing pressure on households and businesses, framing social dialogue as central to the continued construction of the country’s social state.

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