Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch confirmed on Saturday that he would not be running for re-election as president of his party, a decision which effectively rules out his reappointment as head of government after the parliamentary elections scheduled for the autumn.

He was speaking at the congress of his party, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), in El Jadida, a Moroccan coastal city located 190 kilometers south of Rabat.

"Today, I confirm before you that the decision not to seek a third term (as head of the party) was serious and deeply considered," said Mr. Akhannouch, indicating that he wanted to respect the RNI's internal rule limiting the number of successive terms as its president to two.

Later on Saturday, Mohamed Chaouki, a member of parliament little known to the general public, CEO of the Moroccan financial company AD Capital according to Media24, was elected to succeed Mr. Akhannouch as head of the RNI.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy in which the government has broad powers, but it is King Mohammed VI who retains the initiative and defines the major strategic directions of the country.

The king also traditionally appoints as Prime Minister the leader of the party that won the most seats in the parliamentary elections, the next of which are scheduled for the end of September.

Aziz Akhannouch, a wealthy 64-year-old businessman who had led the government since 2021, was the target of calls for his resignation from the GenZ 212 collective, which mobilized hundreds of young people between late September and October to demand improvements in public health and education services. The government had announced a "budgetary effort" for 2026, particularly in these sectors.

Mr. Akhannouch defends a record as head of government which he considers positive, highlighting the post-Covid-19 economic recovery, the deployment of social programs including the expansion of medical coverage and direct aid to modest households, as well as a sustained growth rate despite a long period of drought.

His term has been accompanied by criticism over conflicts of interest related to his activities in the hydrocarbon sector - he owns Afriquia, one of the country's main gas station networks - as well as over what was considered limited communication with the public.