Morocco’s parliamentary election will decide the country’s next government just weeks after a dramatic migration wave. In late July, about 60,000 people—mostly young—swam across the Strait of Gibraltar from the mainland to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, and more than 100 lives were lost in the process.
The fledgling demographic crisis has left many youths disillusioned. Over 38 million Moroccans are under the age of 35, yet only four percent of the 15.8 million registered voters are between 18 and 24. In 2025, Gen Z protests erupted over unemployment, health care and rising living costs. Protesters chanted “Freedom, dignity, social justice” before turning their slogans into “Get out Akhannouch,” a jab at the current prime minister who leads the National Rally of Independents.
In the electoral arena, politics is trying to reach the young with a mix of football hype and anti‑Israel appeal. The centre‑right Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) has put the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, at the head of its campaign. Photo and interview clips show crowds chanting “Sir!”—the iconic rally slogan of Morocco’s historic 2022 World Cup run—while Lekjaa promises to lift Morocco to its sixth spot globally in education and health, mirroring his team’s football ranking.
The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), meanwhile, is pulling old anti‑Israel rhetoric to court voters. Following Morocco’s 2020 accession to the Abraham Accords, pro‑Palestine rallies surged, leading to Thursday–Friday protests that destroyed the Israeli flag at the embassy. PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane claims the normalisation was a mistake and promises to end diplomatic ties if elected.
Other voices try to bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality. Environmental activist Siham Azeroual reminds people that “we have to build communities first and then seek political positions.” She says she will vote in the upcoming election despite her scepticism. Meanwhile, 29‑year‑old Hamza El Kharroubi, former protester and new candidate for the green Environment and Sustainable Development Party, says he is running to secure “a voice in parliament for 2031” and to honour the victims of the Ceuta migration.
'I think young people should focus on the microscale—rather than running for office, help build communities and connect with people, then rise to the top,'
Only weeks before the national vote, the parties’ lofty promises clash with the IMF’s data: overall unemployment was 13% last year, while youth unemployment reached a staggering 37.3%. Will the mix of football fanfare and political slogans attract a new generation of voters, or will it widen the already stark divide between optimism and disillusionment?
