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The recent surge in fuel prices has caught many motorists off guard, with diesel rising by nearly two dirhams per liter and gasoline by around one and a half dirhams. Alongside protests from consumer protection groups, opposition MPs have also called on the government to step in, questioning the reasons behind these fluctuations.
Hamid Darrak, a member of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) parliamentary group in the House of Representatives, addressed a question to the Minister of Economy and Finance, pointing to what he described as the «speed of increases compared to the slowness of decreases». «Distributors raise prices very quickly as soon as global markets rise, while reductions, when prices fall, are much slower and sometimes limited to just a few cents», he noted.
Questions raised over transparency
According to Darrak, this situation «raises concerns about transparency and price-setting mechanisms», and also calls into question «the level of national fuel reserves and their ability to ensure price stability and withstand international shocks».
Members of the Chamber of Councillors also raised concerns. Among them, Khalid Satti, representing the National Union of Moroccan Workers (UNTM), pointed out that the increase comes «at a time when data shows that distribution companies have yet to meet their obligations to establish a strategic fuel reserve, as required by current regulations».
In this context, the councillor questioned the government’s use of «the legal tools at its disposal (…) which allow for exceptional intervention to regulate prices or limit increases for a period of up to six months».
Ministers of energy and industry also questioned
Other ministers have also been challenged by lawmakers from both Houses. Within the Popular Movement parliamentary group, Mohamed Ouzzine addressed the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development. In his written question, he recalled the royal speech delivered at the opening of the first session of the first legislative year of the eleventh legislature (October 8, 2021), which called for «the establishment of a comprehensive national system for strategic reserves of essential raw materials, particularly food, health, and energy, and for the continuous updating of national needs to strengthen the country’s strategic security».
According to Ouzzine, «while Law 09.71 requires a reserve stock sufficient to cover sixty days of consumption to ensure energy sovereignty, these guarantees appear ineffective in times of crisis, as the reserves do not prevent immediate price increases».
He therefore questioned the minister on measures taken to establish this «integrated national strategic reserve system», as well as on the pace at which domestic prices fluctuate compared to international markets, the control mechanisms in place to address «this unfair disparity», and «the actual level of current reserves».
Rachid Hammouni, a member of the political bureau of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) and head of its parliamentary group, also addressed the minister. In his written question, he acknowledged that «international instability and ongoing armed conflicts undeniably contribute to this price surge», but stressed that «it is equally essential for the government to monitor, analyze, and anticipate the impact of the international situation».
In his view, «this new wave of price increases cannot be explained solely by international factors, but also results from practices by crisis profiteers». He therefore called on the minister to outline «emergency measures to gradually cap diesel and gasoline prices, regulate and monitor the fuel market, eliminate illicit practices, ensure sufficient storage capacity, and identify a practical solution to restart the Samir refinery».
In the same question, also addressed to the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hammouni raised the issue of sanctions against «corrupt practices by key intermediaries, speculators, and monopolies», as well as potential «customs and tax measures» to reduce prices.
Prime minister also under pressure
In the House of Representatives, the head of government was also questioned. Fatima Tamni, an MP from the Democratic Left Federation (FGD), called for «state intervention to regulate the market and protect purchasing power». According to her, the situation «revives the debate over the 2015 liberalization of fuel prices».
«The Competition Council has already pointed to imbalances in the functioning of the fuel market and the significant profits made by distributors since liberalization, fueling calls to strengthen regulatory and oversight mechanisms», she wrote.
In this context, Tamni questioned whether these developments had been referred to the Competition Council to assess potential anti-competitive practices. She also asked the head of government about «regulatory measures to better control the market» and to «strengthen Morocco’s energy sovereignty, notably through the restart of the Samir refinery».
