- Change in continuity
- Valorisation and responsibility
- Between national projects and social programmes
A few days after the GenZ212 movement demonstrations, which expressed social discontent and demanded the government's resignation, the country held its breath as it awaited the Royal Speech opening the legislative year. Contrary to expectations of a dramatic shift or an exceptional intervention, the King opted for a rhetoric of normality: a calm and measured tone, an emphasis on confidence and a reaffirmation of institutional continuity.
This discursive choice seems to be part of a communication strategy that favours the symbolic deactivation of risk and the reintegration of a virtual exception into the normal functioning of the state. By maintaining the ordinary framework of monarchical language, the speech places the context perceived as exceptional within the sphere of ordinary politics.
However, this normality is not synonymous with immobility. The speech was clearly structured around the idea of ‘change in continuity,’ a formula that encapsulates the tension between stability and reform. This allows for the reconciliation of the need to adapt to social expectations with the preservation of the institutional and symbolic foundations of the regime.
Thus, the King reaffirms that change is not a disruption of the established order, but a controlled process, directed from the centre of power and inscribed in the long term. Through this rhetoric of balance, the Royal Speech restores confidence while reconfiguring the temporality of politics: the exception becomes a moment of reassurance, and the crisis becomes an opportunity for renewed continuity.
Change in continuity
Within this framework of change in continuity, the King adopts a rhetoric of authority aimed at setting the pace and direction of public action. While advocating institutional stability, he urges the executive and legislative branches to pick up the pace: to finalise pending bills during the remainder of the parliamentary term, optimise public policies and instil a culture of seriousness, commitment and performance.
This imperative register reflects the Sovereign's desire to reaffirm the centrality of the Monarchy as a regulatory body and engine of change. In other words, the normality of the speech does not exclude authority; on the contrary, it makes it even more effective by using language of rationality and continuity. Thus, the King positions himself as the conductor of the political orchestra, defining priorities and reminding us that change, to be legitimate, must be within the realm of possibility, discipline and institutional performance.
The main political message conveyed by the Royal Speech was therefore to categorically reject the exception: no change of tone, no dramatisation of the situation, no spectacular announcements altered the framework of a speech deliberately anchored in institutional normality. However, behind this apparent normality lies an implicit promise of controlled reform, based on the formula of 'change within continuity'. By articulating the notions of normality, trust and institutional stability, the Royal Speech simultaneously introduces the idea of progressive change within the established order.
This rhetorical positioning allows the political exception to be transformed into a moment of equilibrium, where the promise of reform is combined with institutional stability. Through this measured language, the Sovereign inscribes change not as a rupture, but as an orderly extension of existing legitimacy.
When the King addresses the representatives of the Nation in his speech, stating that ‘this is an opportunity to assure you of the value we attach to your work,’ he seeks to reassure and restore a form of symbolic confidence in the parliamentary institution, but also to send a positive signal by recognising Parliament, despite its shortcomings, as an actor in the political process.
Valorisation and responsibility
By inviting the members of the House of Representatives, in the last year of their term of office, to ‘work seriously and responsibly to bring legislative processes to a successful conclusion, implement ongoing programmes and projects, and remain alert and committed to defending the causes of citizens’, the Sovereign also seeks to demonstrate that the institutions are functioning, that the rules of the game are being respected and that there is no reason for drama. However, the King insists on holding the representatives of the people accountable: ‘I trust you, so rise to the occasion.’ It is, therefore, a matter of framed legitimisation, where Parliament is valued without ever escaping royal arbitration.
Through this explicit recognition of the work of the legislative institution in terms of legislation, government control and parliamentary diplomacy, the King is making a strategic gesture to reinforce the legitimacy of institutions, especially in a context where expressions of protest in the streets could call into question the representative system's ability to respond to citizens' demands. The political message, addressed not only to parliamentarians but also to the nation as a whole, is one of confidence in representative institutions, of legitimising the role of elected officials within the framework of the constitutional monarchy, and of reassuring the public about the continuity of institutional functioning despite some social tensions. This gesture of symbolic recognition allows the Sovereign to position himself as the guarantor of good political order, while urging parliamentarians to assume their responsibility and perform effectively.
Although the Royal Speech does not explicitly mention the protests by young Moroccans, its emphasis on cooperation between institutional actors (government, parties, parliamentarians) and its call for clear communication on laws and decisions affecting citizens' rights could be interpreted as an attempt to channel social discontent into formal channels and thus prevent protests from leading to extra-institutional solutions.
By emphasising that the desired objective is ‘to develop the country and improve the living conditions of citizens, wherever they may be’, the King insists that Parliament, political parties and elected institutions must be the forum for addressing social demands.
Between national projects and social programmes
When King Mohammed VI states in his speech that ‘there should be no antinomy or rivalry between major national projects and social programmes’, he seeks to respond directly to certain concerns about infrastructure spending related to the 2030 World Cup (which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal), to the detriment of social development and essential public services. This interpretation, expressed in the recent context of youth protests, criticises the fact that these ‘major national projects’ are prioritised over local social programmes, such as improving schools, hospitals and the fight against poverty.
The Royal Speech not only seeks to clarify that there is no ‘contradiction’ between these projects and social programmes, but also to reconcile both dimensions, arguing that large investments (such as those in the World Cup) coexist perfectly with local development, which is clearly in line with his call for ‘social and spatial justice’ and an improvement in the ‘living conditions of citizens, wherever they may be’. The message here seems to be aimed at appeasing the concerns of young people and civil society, who see the World Cup as a symbol of unbalanced priorities, when in fact it represents an opportunity for an ‘emerging Morocco’ that benefits everyone.
The Royal Speech conveys a development perspective based on the complementarity between national megaprojects, such as infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup, and social and local development programmes. This integrated vision emphasises that the two types of initiatives are not contradictory but synergistic, contributing together to the overall progress of an ‘emerging and supportive Morocco’. The speech calls for collective mobilisation, coherence between national and territorial levels, and clear communication of results to strengthen social trust and promote an image of stability and modernisation in the face of internal and international challenges.
On the other hand, when His Majesty the King insists on the importance of ‘communication on the initiatives undertaken by the public authorities and the various laws and decisions, especially those directly related to the rights and freedoms of citizens,’ he emphasises that state institutions, including the government, are working on the implementation of public policies but are not communicating sufficiently. This criticism suggests that, although institutions are active in producing laws, programmes and projects, their ability to communicate these initiatives to citizens in a transparent, understandable and effective manner is insufficient, which can lead to disconnection, mistrust or social discontent.
In short, this is a decisive Royal Speech, which seeks in an eloquent and measured manner to absorb the exception into the ordinary framework: reform is already underway, problems are in the process of being resolved, agendas are established and respected, the State remains in control, and Moroccans continue to be mobilised by an emerging, prosperous and supportive Morocco. A rhetoric of normality that prioritises continuity over rupture, order over crisis, reason over passion.