In a country marked by two years of sanitary crisis and which undergoes a severe drought, the social tension is mounted by a notch.
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Chaos scenes in a souk, caused by the price of tomatoes; Events, strike threats and hashtag on social networks calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister. In Morocco, the government faces a popular anger caused by the rise in prices of basic necessities and hydrocarbons, on the background of global courses. In a country marked by two years of sanitary crisis related to COVID-19 and which undergoes a severe drought, the social tension is mounted by a notch.
On February 13, the Democratic Labor Confederation (CDT, one of three most representative trade unions) organized sit-in in several cities across the country. A week later on 20 February, demonstrations took place in Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier at the call of the social front, heir to the Movement of 20-February born at the time of the Arab Spring, in 2011. The mobilization, which was also aimed at To commemorate this movement, “has spread to about fifty cities,” reports Mounaim Ouhti, a member of the Social Front Monitoring Committee, which brings together trade unions, left parties and associations. “We made a message: Certainly, Morocco does not escape the international context, but why would it be to the citizens to suffer the effects? The state must act to preserve the purchasing power of households.”
The same day, near Kenitra, north of Rabat, “clashes” occurred in a weekly souk because of the abusive prices of certain products, according to the Moroccan Press Agency Map. “A distributor sold tomatoes 70 dirhams [6.50 euros] The Caisse. When he noticed that he was the only one to sell, he increased his price at 100 dirhams”, reports Bouazza Kherrati, President of the Federation Moroccan consumer rights. According to him, these speculation practices are frequent because of the multiplication of intermediaries between producers and consumers. “In the current economic situation, they reinforce the inflation caused by the soaring world food prices,” he says.
Food insecurity
cereals, sugar, oils, vegetables, coffee, tea … “Prices climb since summer 2021 and it’s a tidal wave since the beginning of the year: all products are concerned, continues m . Kherrati. The worst, it is the prices of fuels: from the moment they burst, everything increases behind. “According to the Office of the High Commissioner, the consumer price index increased by 3.1 % in January compared to the same month of the previous year.
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