The primary issue confronting Morocco’s upcoming parliamentary elections is not party competition, but whether citizens still believe in the political process itself, according to independent political analyst and Middle East and North Africa researcher Dr Ibrahim Dean.
Speaking ahead of the September 23 elections, Dean underscored that while the legislative election marks the country’s first since widespread youth-led economic protests erupted in late 2025, persistent voter disillusionment threatens to undermine the credibility of the outcome.
Despite citizens under the age of 34 comprising 50% of the kingdom’s population, young voters aged 15 to 24 account for just 5% of registered voters. In contrast, citizens over the age of 60 make up 30% of the electorate.
Dean noted that because ultimate executive authority over defense, governance, and structural economic decree remains concentrated in the monarchy, many young Moroccans view parliament as a mechanism for expressing opinion rather than a driver of actual policy change.
The disengagement is exacerbated by severe economic pressures, with youth unemployment sitting between 25% and 37% compared to the national rate of 13%. Recent youth-led movements, including the Gen Z 212 protests, demonstrated deep frustration over healthcare, education, and job prospects, yet the lack of centralised leadership prevented these demands from converting into formal political representation.
–ChannelAfrica–
