Young Moroccans who led protests last year and crossed borders in search of opportunity are now turning to the ballot box, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections on Wednesday, its first since deadly Gen Z demonstrations shook the country.
Morocco: Youth vote in focus ahead of first parliamentary elections since Gen Z protests
FILE - People protest against corruption and calling for healthcare and education reform, in Casablanca, Morocco, Oct. 2, 2025.
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Former protest participants are among those running for seats in the House of Representatives, where 7,288 candidates from 27 political parties are competing for 395 seats.
Younes Belaidi, 29, who took part in the protests, is now a candidate for the Progress and Socialism Party in the Ain Chock district of Casablanca, where he works for the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights.
"To solve the problem, we, young people, must participate strongly and in large numbers," he said.
Fellow Progress and Socialism Party member Aymane Saissi, who also took part in the Gen Z protests, said his hopes were tempered but real.
"I cannot say that I have a lot of hope, but there is hope that the next government will launch projects that will enable us to achieve our basic demands, especially health, education and a decent life," he said.
Among those watching closely is Ayoub Belaidi, 23, who crossed into Ceuta during the mass migration this summer before returning to Morocco.
"The decision to migrate came from a search for freedom and new cultures, and to be able to develop myself and find new opportunities," he said. "But I faced difficulties in Ceuta. We experienced a state of emergency during the first three days. We had no food and no place to sleep."
The Gen Z protests spread across several Moroccan cities in late 2025, with participants demanding better healthcare, education, employment and public services while criticising corruption.
Official data put youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 at 37 percent in 2025, against an overall rate of 13 percent.
People aged 18 to 24 account for roughly 12 percent of the country’s population but make up just 4 percent of its 15.8 million registered voters.