Morocco is conducting parliamentary elections on Wednesday, with voters choosing 395 representatives to the House of Representatives. The election comes amid significant youth frustration, as the country continues to grapple with economic hardship and limited job opportunities. Earlier in the year, tens of thousands of Moroccan citizens and other migrants attempted to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with at least 100 people dying during the largest migration surge to the territory in recent history. The International Monetary Fund reported unemployment stood at 13% overall, with youth joblessness reaching 37.3% among those aged 15 to 24.
Several factors are shaping the campaign narrative. Political parties have deployed viral football-themed messaging, drawing on Morocco’s status as the first Arab and African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022. Fouzi Lekjaa, head of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, has become a major political figure after joining the centrist Party of Authenticity and Modernity in July, with his campaign rallies generating viral videos. The ruling National Rally of Independents, led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, is seeking a second term and has pledged to create one million job opportunities by 2031, though analysts question the feasibility of such commitments. Meanwhile, some younger activists are entering politics for the first time, seeking to represent Gen Z interests in parliament.
A significant campaign theme involves Morocco’s diplomatic relationship with Israel. The Islamist Justice and Development Party, formerly in government and now seeking a political comeback, has centered its campaign on reversing Morocco’s normalization with Israel, which occurred in December 2020 under the Abraham Accords. The party, led by former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, describes the diplomatic opening as a “mistake.” This messaging resonates with segments of the population, as weekly anti-Israeli protests have occurred in the capital and tens of thousands demonstrated against the Israeli diplomatic presence during the Gaza conflict. However, Morocco and Israel recently agreed to establish full embassies in each other’s countries following a meeting between top diplomats.
Morocco’s political system concentrates significant power in the monarchy. King Mohammed VI appoints the prime minister from the winning party but retains control over the Council of Ministers, the country’s primary policy-making body. The election follows September 2025 protests by Generation Z demonstrating against unemployment, healthcare costs, and living standards, with more than 2,400 people prosecuted following the unrest.
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