Some 8,000 people demonstrated in Casablanca on Sunday upon the call of four Moroccan syndicates for a “national demonstration” to defend “purchasing power, dignity, freedom, and social justice.”
Demonstrations were held in spite of a meeting with the government, scheduled on April 15. In a meeting with Justice and Development (PJD) representatives ahead of the protests, Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane said that he “did not understand” why these demonstrations are held, only few weeks before May 1 celebrations.
In order to contain the country’s public deficit, the government under the leadership of the PJD enacted a series of austerity measures. Last year, the government’s decision to take off state subsidies from oil prices was particularly subject to criticisms.
