Just a few days after Abdelilah Benkirane was re-elected as Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party and made his return to the political scene, he quickly took to the May 1st platform to flex his rhetorical muscles. However, instead of proposing solutions or opening new avenues, he resorted to his old habit: hurling insults, making classifications, and creating needless uproars.
In a speech unsuitable for a time of crises or a position of responsibility, Benkirane chose to describe part of Moroccans as “donkeys.” Just like that, without shame or respect, he insulted those who prioritize the nation’s interests over any external agenda. His attack included anyone who dared to discuss relations with Israel or anyone who refused to be swept away by his repetitive populist slogans. He did not even spare those who differ with him ideologically. For him, everyone is a “donkey” as long as they do not orbit within his sphere.
This speech was not just a slip of the tongue; it was a deliberate stance. Benkirane did not step onto the platform to represent his party, but to satisfy his ego. He wanted to provoke controversy, nothing more. He traded in cheap rhetoric to create media buzz, in a manner akin to “my daily routine.” The only difference is that he replaced the body with insults and empty content with empty speech.
Benkirane is merely an echo of repeated shrieks, living off past glories and feeding on provocation, believing that insults equate to strength and that manufactured controversy is a sign of leadership. But leadership cannot be built on humiliation, and credibility cannot be regained through derogatory labels directed at those who disagree with you.
The problem lies not just in the description, but in a mentality that sees the people as an adversary if they do not applaud, and an enemy if they do not bow their heads. A mentality that rejects discussion and approaches politics with a herd mentality: anyone who does not follow me is either foolish or a traitor or a “donkey.”
This level of discourse brings us face to face with a deeper crisis than just a reckless statement. We are confronted with a Secretary-General of a party that was once at the forefront, speaking in a style unworthy even of a café session. How can one expect him to present a vision? Or to lead a political project? Or to inspire the trust of the street once more?
In his latest speech, Benkirane did not stumble accidentally. Instead, he revealed a reality: a man who refuses to leave the stage, even at the cost of political dignity. A man who thinks that shouting replaces action and that insults replace a program. But what Benkirane does not understand is that the Moroccans he labels as donkeys have become too aware to be deceived by empty talk.
