Survey reveals growing apathy among Moroccan voters

With the 2026 Moroccan general elections looming, a new Afrobarometer survey reveals an increasingly apathetic voter base that may lead to a voter turnout of historic lows.

The survey found that 34 percent of its respondents were undecided about voting, reports the Arab Weekly plus agencies. Disenchantment with the current political parties might be to blame, with 77 percent of Moroccans saying they distrust all political parties while 68 percent said they don’t trust Parliament.

Facing a battered economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, high levels of youth unemployment and rampant corruption have added to the public outcry. As it stands over 45 percent of Moroccans believe some MPs are corrupt, while 23 percent say most are.

Disillusionment seems especially prominent among the youth as only four percent of voters are aged between 18 and 24.

While figures for voters aged between 25 and 34 rise to 16 percent, this reflects the continued weakness of young people’s engagement in the political process.

Rachid Lazraq, a professor of constitutional law, has summarized public sentiments: “There is a crisis of confidence among large segments of young people… The leadership has proven its inability to respond to citizen demands.”

In response, parties are scrambling to rebrand. The Authenticity and Modernity Party launched “Generation 2030,” a youth initiative aimed at involving young Moroccans in policymaking. The leading Istiqlal Party’s Nizar Baraka has promised national workshops to engage youth directly.

However, Abdallah el-Harchi, a council member from the PAM, argued that youth outreach efforts are increasingly being perceived as superficial. “Political parties are only eager to attract young people to serve as an electoral reservoir,” he said. “This widens the gap between the political class and the public.”

Radwan Aamimi, a professor of administrative law, has noted a surge in disciplinary and judicial proceedings against local officials. “There are embarrassing questions about the performance of some elected institutions, particularly at the territorial level,” he told the Arab Weekly.

The Arab Weekly/ Agencies/ Maghrebi