HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The Progress and Socialism party in the House of Representatives announced its vote against the 2026 finance bill, considering that the form approved by the majority "is disappointing and does not meet the expectations of citizens and companies," despite the party's participation in the discussion with multiple proposals and amendments within the committees and general sessions.
The party explained that it had submitted dozens of amendments aimed at improving the project, including increasing the budgets for the integrated territorial development program, expanding its areas of intervention to include youth integration, and connecting to water, electricity, and liquid sanitation, in addition to proposals related to creating a wealth tax, supporting small businesses, strengthening the resources of local authorities, and improving income by amending the income tax. However, the government—according to the party—rejected all these amendments systematically, relying only on its numerical majority. The Progress and Socialism party noted that the project, despite some limited positives such as increasing the allocations for the health, education, and public investment sectors, came "with the same approaches that were followed during the past four years" which it considered to have led to "multi-dimensional failure," including the failure to fulfill the commitments of the government program. The party believes that the 2026 financial document lacks clear measures to achieve economic recovery that enhances food, energy, industrial, and pharmaceutical sovereignty, and that it did not include effective measures to promote tax justice, encourage private investment, support national entrepreneurship, and integrate the informal sector. It also criticized the absence of an effective plan to reduce high unemployment, address school dropouts, progress towards universal health coverage, reform pensions, and activate unemployment compensation. It added that the project did not provide concrete solutions to address the high cost of living and the erosion of purchasing power, nor a vision for integrating millions of poor families into the economic cycle. Regarding the integrated territorial development program, the party considered that its budget was insufficient in relation to the size of the deficit in rural and mountainous areas, while pointing to the absence of the democratic, human rights, and equality dimensions in the government's vision for this financial law. The Progress and Socialism party concluded its statement by emphasizing that the 2026 finance bill "lacks political boldness and a democratic and human rights spirit," and does not meet the expectations of citizens or the economic and social challenges, announcing its vote of rejection, while emphasizing the continuation of "responsible institutional struggle" to highlight a democratic and progressive alternative.
