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Morocco Social Front calls for protests against price hikes in commemoration of February 20 Movement
The Moroccan Social Front on Saturday called for marches to take place in commemoration of the anniversary of the February 20 Movement, as well as the denouncing of increasing price hikes of every day goods that have plagued the country.
"The anniversary of February 20 falls this year in light of outrageous increases [in the cost of living], affecting a wide range of basic foodstuffs and fuel, at a time when rentier capital and monopoly has accumulated unbelievable [amounts of] profits and wealth", the group said in a statement.
The group has also slammed officials for "turning their backs" on basic and urgent social demands, particularly the reversal of price increases of basic goods, and the improvement of income through increases in wages, tax reduction, and the creation of better employment opportunities.
This comes at a time when Morocco is experiencing dwindling economic conditions as a result of the hikes exacerbated by the fallout from Russia's warn on Ukraine, amid accusations that the Aziz Akhannouch-led government has been "delayed" in taking adequate measures to support citizens amid these conditions.
The Social Front’s national coordinator, Younes Farachine, told The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that they want to "send messages of protest against the current situation, which has prompted anger from people, in parallel with a human rights backlash, an attack on rights and a restriction on freedoms".
"We consider the February 20 anniversary a moment [worth] celebrating and to protest against the situation, especially since the movement had demands for social justice, dignity and freedom, which are still in place 12 years after its inception", he said.
The February 20 Movement was a series of protests in Morocco taking place between February 2011 and the end of 2012, which saw citizens decry electoral fraud, unemployment and corruption.
The protest movement resulted in constitutional reform, new parliamentary elections and King Mohammed VI ceding some of his powers. Political repression, among other issues, still persist.
The front, which was established in November 2019, aims to bridge the gap between struggles for economic rights and political struggles, by establishing a link between trade union organisations and political parties, according to Jeune Afrique. It also seeks to emulate "the spirit" of the movement, which was the catalyst of the Arab Spring protests in Morocco in 2011.
The front has also criticised the stifling of social and press freedoms, crackdown on political dissidents and journalist and political repression exercised by the north African kingdom.
Last month, former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane called for early elections in the country as the country has "gradually lost its trust" in the current government.