Rabat – King Mohammed VI of Morocco called for prioritizing local development programs, especially those related to job creation and the advancement of the health and education sectors, emphasizing the need to combat all practices that waste time, effort, and resources.

The speech was delivered on Friday evening to mark the opening of the final legislative year of the current government term before the two chambers of the Moroccan Parliament.

Attention turned to the King’s speech after two weeks of protests in several Moroccan cities, led by youth from a movement called “Generation Z 212,” formed on the Discord platform following demonstrations in Agadir in mid-September after the death of eight pregnant women in the city’s public hospital.

The King stressed the importance of focusing on the most vulnerable areas, especially mountains and oases, noting that “harmonious territorial development cannot be achieved without real integration and solidarity between regions and provinces.”

He called on the government and parliament to reconsider the development of mountainous areas, which cover 30% of the country’s territory, and to enable them with an integrated public policy that takes into account their specificities and many potentials. He considered that “social justice and combating regional disparities are not just empty slogans or temporary priorities that may recede depending on circumstances,” but a strategic direction that all actors must commit to and a vital challenge that should govern various development policies.

The King added that “there should be no contradiction or competition between major national projects and social programs as long as the goal is the country’s development and improving citizens’ living conditions wherever they are,” stressing that “the major transformation we seek to achieve in territorial development requires a tangible change in mentalities and working methods, a true consolidation of a culture of results based on precise field data, and optimal investment in digital technology.”

Professor of constitutional law at Hassan First University in Settat, Abdelhafid Younsi, said the opening speech of the legislative year represents an “important constitutional moment” in Moroccan institutional culture, noting that its tone did not deviate from the general content of previous royal speeches that combine both directive and reporting aspects.

In a statement to Al Jazeera Net, he said the royal speech reminded political parties of their basic role in structuring and defending the homeland and its supreme interests, stressing the necessity of achieving tangible local development on the ground due to its direct impact on citizens’ lives. He also pointed to the importance of changing mentalities and adopting new managerial approaches in public affairs management.

Meanwhile, Professor of constitutional law and political science at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Amin Essaid, explained that the speech falls within a commitment stipulated in Article 65 of the 2011 Constitution, noting that it represents the official announcement of the start of the political season in Morocco and directly addresses members of both chambers of parliament and the government.

He told Al Jazeera Net that understanding the royal speech requires grasping its constitutional framework, which primarily aims to guide parliamentary work in its relationship with the government, whether in legislation, monitoring government work, or evaluating public policies, reaching what he called the “diplomatic function of parliament.”

According to him, the speech mapped out a roadmap to correct the political model of parliament in its relationship with the government and local communities, saying it reiterated the major issues previously emphasized by the King in the last Throne speech, foremost among them the challenge of regional justice and the need to launch a new generation of development programs aimed at eliminating disparities and encouraging local initiatives.

Contrary to expectations that awaited a direct response to recent events and demands raised by the youth of the “Generation Z” movement, Abdelhafid Younsi said the state chose a special approach in dealing with these issues based on maintaining the continuity of the state’s major orientations while preserving institutional stability within a constitutional and political life that is not expected to produce sharp turns.

He pointed out that the speech responded to some youth demands, especially those related to improving health and education services and job opportunities, but the strength lies in discussing the effects on the ground.

For his part, Amin Essaid explained that analyzing the contents of the royal speech shows a clear intersection between its orientations and the social demands raised by the Moroccan street, especially regarding the advancement of education, health, and local qualification sectors, and no contradiction between major projects and social programs as long as the common goal is comprehensive development.

He confirmed that the speech implicitly responded to popular demands by focusing on social and regional justice as one of the most prominent challenges and expectations of Moroccans at the current stage.

The “Generation Z” movement announced suspending its protests on Friday out of “respect for the royal institution and appreciation for the symbolism of the royal speech,” affirming that this “does not mean a retreat from legitimate demands but is an expression of discipline, awareness, and responsibility.”

On Thursday, the movement published a demands file on the Discord platform and its other social media channels, renewing its calls for the dismissal of the government, reform of the health and education sectors, fighting corruption, releasing detainees, and providing job opportunities.

The demands also included opening an independent judicial investigation into all violations that marred the handling of protests and releasing young detainees arrested for participating in peaceful demonstrations.

Government spokesperson Mustapha Baytas said on Thursday, “The government listened to the demands of these young people, but dialogue, as you know, requires two parties,” adding, “We hope the other party will be present so that we can listen to proposals through which we jointly address this issue.”