Moroccan Civil Society Demands End to Lavish Ministerial Bonuses and Pensions

As a departure allowance, El Othmani will receive a check for 700,000 DH, each outgoing government minister 600,000 DH, and each state secretary 500,000 DH. This allowance exceeds 10 times the global flat-rate salary of each beneficiary. In addition to the departure allowance, the members of the government will be entitled, for the rest of their lives, to a retirement pension: 48,000 DH for the former head of the executive, 39,000 DH for the ministers and 30,000 DH for the state secretaries. In the event that one of the beneficiaries dies, half of this pension will automatically be paid to the heirs.

The granting of these bonuses and this pension is not to the liking of the Moroccan association for the protection of public property, which demands their outright abolition, reports Al Akhbar. It is outraged that ministers are being generously remunerated. On social networks, some citizens believe it is unacceptable that "former ministers continue to receive a lifelong pension of up to 39,000 DH per month, when they have never contributed to any pension scheme." The Moroccan association for the protection of public property describes the allowances and retirement pension as a political annuity and calls for an end to the squandering of public funds.