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Saad-Eddine El Othmani has stepped back into the political spotlight, breaking his «retirement» to robustly defend the track record of his administration (April 2016 - October 2021) amidst criticism from the current head of government, Aziz Akhannouch.
«Despite the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 health crisis, citizens' purchasing power remained stable, unlike the situation under the current administration,» El Othmani asserted on social media. «Inflation was kept below 1% during our tenure, in stark contrast to the current government's record, where inflation soared to 7% in 2023. Additionally, the growth rate at the close of 2021 hit 5.8%, a figure unmatched in years and the highest in the region and continent at that time,» he highlighted. (Read more on Facebook)
El Othmani also challenged Akhannouch's assertion in Parliament that he presented his cabinet's record «in July» 2021, stating that «the standard democratic practice worldwide is to present government records before the end of a mandate.»
In contrast, El Othmani criticized Akhannouch for presenting his government's record to Parliament in April, questioning, «Doesn't this constitute a premature escape from responsibility and accountability?»
El Othmani's comments were not only directed at Akhannouch but also at members of his own party, the PJD, particularly Abdelilah Benkirane. The current secretary-general has focused on highlighting his own tenure, seemingly overlooking El Othmani's contributions.
As a reminder, King Mohammed VI praised El Othmani in an October 2021 letter, commending "the commendable efforts" made by the former head of government «to fully perform his governmental duties, with dedication, competence, and sincere commitment to serving the higher interests of the nation and its citizens».
During El Othmani's leadership, Aziz Akhannouch served as the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
