Morocco's political parties are working to attract young voters ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September 23, following widespread discontent that culminated in protests and a border rush on Ceuta last year. The National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which currently hold power, have pledged to create about one million jobs and invest $20 billion in infrastructure over their next term. Despite these promises, youth engagement remains low; only 3% of registered voters are aged between 18 and 24, with many young Moroccans expressing skepticism about the impact of electoral changes on policy improvement.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Morocco's political parties battle youth disenchantment ahead of election
RABAT/CAIRO, Sept 17 - Morocco’s political parties are trying to entice young voters to the polls next week with promises of jobs and affordable housing after violent protests last year and a border rush on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta highlighted widespread discontent.
asserted
protests → battle → discontent
Uneven development and continuing economic hardship among young people were seen as drivers of both events, against a backdrop of recent progress in sectors such as manufacturing, ports and railways lifting living standards in major cities.
The vote, due on September 23, is the country’s fourth since the 2011 Arab Spring protests led the monarchy to share more power with parliament before moving to reinforce its position.
asserted
protests → continue → position
A moderate Islamist party ran the government for about a decade but suffered a crushing defeat in the last vote five years ago, ceding its place to two parties founded by men close to the palace.
asserted
party → run → palace
Those parties, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), have both put youth employment at the centre of their campaigns, pledging to create about one million jobs over the next parliamentary term.
They have also touted roughly $20 billion of infrastructure investment ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal, and streamed rallies on social media to draw the attention of young voters.
"We reject the idea that young people simply want an easy life," the PAM's campaign manifesto says, listing housing, regular income and "dignified work" as policy priorities.
asserted
manifesto → put → priorities
Analysts say the challenge of engaging young voters was illustrated by deadly, Gen-Z-led protests last year, and by the massive border rush on Ceuta in July.
asserted
challenge → say → July
"The Ceuta mass migration attempt was a new form of social protest in which many citizens demonstrated a physical exit from Moroccan politics altogether," said Mohamed Masbah, head of the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis, a think tank.
asserted
Masbah → demonstrate → Analysis
YOUNG VOTERS 'NO LONGER BELIEVE' PROMISES
asserted
VOTERS → believe → PROMISES
While 18- to 24-year-olds make up some 12% of the population, they account for only about 3% of registered voters, official figures show.
asserted
figures → make → voters
Just one third of Moroccans between 18 and 35 years old say they trust parliament, the prime minister or political parties, according to a survey published in March by Afrobarometer, a research nonprofit.
uncertain
they → say → Afrobarometer
Young voters say they have been discouraged by an impression that elections shift the balance between parties with little ideological space between them without producing major policy changes.
asserted
elections → say → changes
"We keep seeing the same faces return with promises that many young voters no longer believe," said university student Mohamed Azzaoui, who said he does not intend to vote.
asserted
he → see → that
Under Morocco’s system, the monarchy retains control of the country’s overarching policy direction.
asserted
monarchy → retain → direction
In recent years the palace has also consolidated power over key portfolios, including the foreign and interior ministries.
asserted
palace → consolidate → ministries
That means parties are competing less over the overall development model, and more over how to achieve the palace's objectives, according to economist Rachid Aourraz.
uncertain
parties → mean → Aourraz
In practice, Masbah said, that means that "if everything goes well, the monarchy takes credit.
asserted
monarchy → say → credit
If things go wrong, the government gets the blame.
asserted
government → go → blame
In recent years, authorities have leant heavily on their economic strategy.
asserted
authorities → lean → strategy
The country’s “New Development Model”, a national economic plan launched about five years ago, aims to double gross domestic product per capita by 2035.
asserted
Model → launch → 2035
The country has seen billions pour into sectors such as deepwater ports, phosphates, green energy and rail lines.
asserted
billions → see → ports
But this has often not translated into popular satisfaction.
asserted
this → translate → satisfaction
Youth unemployment is around 27% — the highest rate of any age group — and one in three young Moroccans is neither working, studying nor training, according to official statistics.
uncertain
Moroccans → work → statistics
As the country’s central bank wrote in a recent report, stubborn unemployment and other factors have opened "a gap … between objectively measured economic performance and citizens' perceptions."
asserted
unemployment → write → performance
The Aporia
