Morocco to permanently adopt standard time after long debate

The long-running national debate over Morocco’s time zone has finally reached a conclusion. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced today that the country will permanently abandon the GMT+1 offset at the end of next summer and return to its legal time (GMT). The widely anticipated decision directly addresses citizen grievances voiced in recent years.

Speaking on public television channels after Thursday’s cabinet meeting on June 25, 2026, Akhannouch stated that the move follows a series of consultations within the government coalition and careful listening to public concerns. He acknowledged that maintaining the daylight-saving time had been a major source of inconvenience for many Moroccans, prompting the government to choose a return to normalcy.

“This choice stems from a thorough assessment of the impacts of the current summer time and fully takes into account the remarks made in the past,” Akhannouch emphasized.

The announcement puts an end to a lengthy controversy. Since the adoption of the extra hour, numerous citizens and civil society actors have continuously demanded a return to the original time zone, which they consider far more suitable for daily life, the health of schoolchildren, and society’s overall balance.