June 25, 2026

The Panafrican Press

English-language platform committed to rigorous, independent journalism across the African continent.

Morocco to scrap GMT+1 for permanent Greenwich time

A long-running national debate has reached its conclusion. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch declared today that Morocco will permanently drop the extra hour (GMT+1) at the end of next summer, readopting the kingdom’s legal time (GMT). This long-awaited decision directly responds to citizen demands voiced in recent years.

In a statement to public television channels following Thursday’s government council meeting on June 25, 2026, Akhannouch explained that the measure follows extensive consultations within the governing majority and careful attention to public grievances. The head of government acknowledged that maintaining daylight saving time had caused significant inconvenience for many Moroccans, prompting the cabinet to opt for a return to standard time.

“This choice stems from a thorough evaluation of the current summer time impacts and fully incorporates comments made in the past,” Akhannouch emphasized.

The announcement closes a long-standing controversy. Since the adoption of the extra hour, numerous citizens and civil society groups had repeatedly called for a return to the original time zone, which they considered much better suited to daily life rhythms, schoolchildren’s health, and the population’s social balance.