Morocco will abandon its year-round GMT+1 time schedule and revert to Greenwich Mean Time starting in September [1], [2].
The decision ends a long-standing public dispute over the country's clock settings. The move aims to resolve widespread fatigue and controversy stemming from a time zone shift that altered daily routines for millions of citizens [4], [5].
Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said the change will occur on Thursday, June 26 [3]. According to government details, clocks are scheduled to be turned back on Sept. 20 [3]. Some reports describe the transition as occurring toward the end of September [1].
This reversal concludes an eight-year experiment with the GMT+1 offset [3]. The period of permanent daylight savings was intended to align the country with European markets, but it led to criticism regarding "dark school runs" and disrupted sleep patterns [3], [4].
Public reaction to the news has been generally positive, though some citizens have questioned the specific timing of the transition [5]. The return to GMT is expected to restore the natural alignment of daylight hours with the clock, reducing the social friction caused by the previous policy [4], [5].
Morocco has a century-long history of adjusting its clocks, ranging from wartime decrees to modern economic experiments [3]. The government's decision to return to the standard time zone marks a pivot away from the GMT+1 model that had been in place since the previous administration's implementation [4].
“Morocco will abandon its year-round GMT+1 time schedule and revert to Greenwich Mean Time”
The reversal of the GMT+1 policy indicates that the perceived economic benefits of aligning with European time zones were outweighed by the social and public health costs of shifted daylight hours. By returning to GMT, Morocco prioritizes domestic biological and social rhythms over international synchronization, signaling a response to sustained public pressure.
