Morocco’s Parties Court Disenchanted Youth as Parliamentary Election Nears

By Benson Daniel

Morocco’s political parties are intensifying efforts to attract young voters ahead of the country’s September 23 parliamentary election, placing jobs, affordable housing and improved living standards at the centre of their campaigns.

The election comes amid concerns over declining trust in political institutions and persistent economic difficulties among young Moroccans. Youth unemployment is around 27%, while roughly one in three young people is neither working, studying nor receiving vocational training.

The country has recorded progress in sectors including manufacturing, ports, railways, renewable energy and other infrastructure, but those gains have not translated into the same level of optimism among many young people.

The National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), two of the main parties in the governing coalition, have made youth employment a major campaign issue. Both have pledged to create about one million jobs during the next parliamentary term.

The parties are also highlighting major infrastructure spending ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. The investment programme is expected to support construction, transport and other sectors while creating economic opportunities.

However, convincing young people to participate in the election remains a challenge. Official figures indicate that people aged 18 to 24 account for about 12% of Morocco’s population but only around 3% of registered voters.

A March survey by Afrobarometer also found that only about one-third of Moroccans aged 18 to 35 expressed trust in parliament, the head of government or political parties.

The dissatisfaction has also appeared outside the formal political system. Violent youth-led protests last year and a large movement of Moroccans toward the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July drew attention to frustrations surrounding employment, living conditions and opportunities.

Young voters have complained that successive elections can produce changes in the balance between political parties without bringing significant changes to their everyday lives.

Morocco’s political system also gives the monarchy a central role in determining the country’s broader policy direction. This limits the extent to which political parties compete over the overall development model and places greater emphasis on how governments implement national priorities.

Economic performance is therefore expected to remain an important issue during the campaign. Morocco’s development strategy has attracted substantial investment into ports, phosphates, green energy and railway infrastructure, while the country aims to significantly raise living standards over the coming decade.

The election will determine the composition of the 395-member House of Representatives and influence the formation of the next government. More than 15.8 million voters are registered for the September 23 election.

For political parties, the campaign is therefore not only about winning parliamentary seats but also reconnecting with younger citizens who increasingly question whether electoral politics can deliver the jobs, housing and economic opportunities they seek