Moroccan Youth Seek Political Path for Gen Z Protest Demands

Young Moroccan candidates and activists are attempting to turn the demands of last year’s Gen Z-led protests into participation in formal politics ahead of the country’s September 23 parliamentary election.

The vote will determine all 395 seats in Morocco’s House of Representatives. More than 15.8 million people are registered, although people aged 18 to 24 account for about 4 percent of the electorate, based on electoral rolls finalised in July.

From demonstrations to campaigning

Hamza El Kharroubi, a 28-year-old environmental entrepreneur, is campaigning for parliament in Tetouan. He founded the Environment and Sustainability Party, aiming to channel increased youth engagement into political institutions.

“The previous protests by Gen Z have sparked more youth engagement in political parties. We expect this year to have exceptional participation from youth, both in voting and campaigning,” El Kharroubi said while campaigning.

The demonstrations began nationwide on September 27, 2025, after grievances over public healthcare, education, employment and living conditions spread from earlier protests in Agadir. The unrest followed the deaths of eight women after Caesarean deliveries at a public hospital in a southern city.

GenZ 212, described as a leaderless movement with no ties to political parties, mobilised largely through Discord, TikTok and Instagram. Its demands included improved healthcare and education, more employment opportunities, action against corruption and an end to what protesters considered misplaced public spending.

At least three people were killed during unrest in October 2025, according to the reported account.

Calls for a more meaningful political role

Az-el Arab Hilmi, 32, works with the secretariat of the Federation of the Democratic Left in Tifelt. He said young people were no longer prepared to accept “traditional political discourse or general promises”.

“There is a generation that wants to see tangible results in its daily life: good education, public healthcare that preserves dignity, real job opportunities and fairness in the distribution of opportunities,” Hilmi said.

He argued that parties should include young people in debate, decision-making and responsibility, rather than placing them only at the front of campaign events.

“No party can fix every problem as soon as it reaches a council or a position of responsibility,” Hilmi said. But parties, he added, should explain what they can and cannot do, honour their commitments and conduct politics responsibly and transparently.

Hilmi also said voting should begin an ongoing relationship between citizens and representatives, with young people continuing to “monitor, ask, criticise and demand accountability”.

Economic frustration and voter engagement

Youth unemployment remains a persistent concern. Morocco’s official unemployment rate was 13 percent in 2025, while the rate among people aged 15 to 24 stood at 37.2 percent, figures attributed to the High Commission for Planning.

Moubarak Toumi, an 18-year-old member of Ittihadiya Youth, said distance from politics was partly inherited from older generations. He referred to advice to “walk close to the wall”, keep a low profile and avoid trouble.

Toumi also pointed to frustration over unfulfilled promises in healthcare, education and employment despite what he described as large budgets. He criticised a “200-dirham mentality”, a phrase associated with cash sometimes handed to voters, and called for more active engagement.

“Today, however, we must renew our thinking and engage more actively to build a better future,” he said.

The election will take place against a backdrop of an ageing electorate. People aged 60 and above make up more than 29 percent of registered voters, while those aged 35 to 44 account for 21 percent. Turnout in the 2021 election was just over 50 percent.

The source account described the vote as a test of what can be achieved through formal politics, while the young candidates and activists continue to press for a stronger role in shaping public policy.