Morocco's Political Parties Battle Youth Disenchantment Ahead of Election
Morocco's political parties are engaged in a frantic bid to win over young voters ahead of the country's parliamentary election on September 23, as violent protests last year and a border rush on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta highlighted widespread discontent. The challenge of engaging young voters was exemplified by deadly, Gen-Z-led protests last year, and by the massive border rush on Ceuta in July, which demonstrated a physical exit from Moroccan politics altogether.
The country's political parties are vying for the attention of young voters with promises of jobs and affordable housing, as well as infrastructure investment and economic development. The National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which have dominated the country's political landscape in recent years, have both pledged to create around one million jobs over the next parliamentary term.
The PAM's campaign manifesto emphasizes the need to reject the idea that young people simply want an easy life, listing housing, regular income, and "dignified work" as policy priorities. The RNI has also touted its plans for economic development, including the construction of new infrastructure and the expansion of existing industries.
However, despite these promises, many young Moroccans remain skeptical about the ability of the country's political parties to deliver on their promises. According to a survey published by Afrobarometer in March, only one-third of Moroccans between the ages of 18 and 35 say they trust parliament, the prime minister, or political parties.
The country's political landscape is dominated by the monarchy, which retains control of the country's overarching policy direction. This means that parties are competing less over the overall development model, and more over how to achieve the palace's objectives.
Economists say that this has led to a lack of ideological space between the country's political parties, making it difficult for young voters to differentiate between them. "If everything goes well, the monarchy takes credit. If things go wrong, the government gets the blame," said Mohamed Masbah, head of the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis.
The country's economic strategy is focused on increasing its gross domestic product per capita by 2035, with a focus on sectors such as deepwater ports, phosphates, green energy, and rail lines. However, this has not translated into popular satisfaction, with youth unemployment standing at around 27% and one in three young Moroccans neither working, studying, nor training.
As the country's central bank wrote in its recent report, the gap between objectively measured economic performance and citizens' perceptions has opened. The challenge of engaging young voters and addressing the country's economic and social issues will be a key test of the country's political parties in the coming weeks.
(Note: The article has been edited to conform to the stylistic and linguistic guidelines provided.)
Written by: Clark Fader | The Citizen Edition
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