An estimated 3 to 5 million Moroccans live abroad, many of them born, raised and fully integrated into their countries of residence. Some choose to enter politics, exercising a basic democratic right, yet their presence on the ballot is still frequently met with suspicion and racism.
The pattern has been documented across multiple countries and has become more visible as Moroccan communities grow more politically active in Europe.
When Najat Vallaud-Belkacem was appointed France’s education minister in 2014, becoming the first woman to hold the position, the far-right weekly Minute placed her on its cover under the headline: “A Moroccan Muslim heads the national education ministry. The Najat Vallaud-Belkacem provocation.” Another publication, Valeurs Actuelles, depicted her as an ayatollah.
A fake letter, forged in her name, also circulated on social media, falsely urging French towns to teach Arabic to children.
Vallaud-Belkacem, born in rural Morocco and raised in northern France, held dual citizenship and had spent years in public service. She described herself as “a pure product of the Republic,” but said none of it shielded her from racialized attacks.
She responded consistently to criticism with one message: “Racism is not an opinion. It is a crime.”
Racism targeting Moroccans in politics is not limited to France.
In the Netherlands, Ahmed Aboutaleb became mayor of Rotterdam in 2009, becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major Western European city. Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, responded by calling the appointment “as ridiculous as appointing a Dutchman as mayor of Mecca” and suggested he should instead become mayor of Rabat.
His comments reflected a wider climate. A 2021 survey found that 35% of Moroccans in the Netherlands reported experiencing discrimination, the highest rate among migrant groups in the country.
Aboutaleb served as mayor of Rotterdam for more than 15 years (2009–2024) and received international recognition for his leadership.
The hostility extends beyond individuals and has been flagged repeatedly by international institutions.
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights reported in 2024 that 35% of Muslims in Italy experienced discrimination based solely on their name or appearance.
The Council of Europe’s anti-racism body, ECRI, also issued a report in October 2024 criticizing Italy’s increasingly xenophobic political climate and warning of a “trivialization of hateful remarks in public life,” particularly during elections.
The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has similarly criticized several European governments for failing to hold politicians accountable for racist rhetoric used in electoral contexts.
In Belgium, six lawmakers of Moroccan origin were elected to federal parliament in 2019, including Zakia Khattabi, co-president of the Greens, and Ahmed Laaouej, head of the Socialist group. Their election marked a milestone but also occurred amid heightened stigma following the 2015 attacks in Europe.
Researchers say Islamophobia in such contexts is no longer marginal but often functions as part of mainstream political discourse.
Morocco’s foreign ministry has also raised concerns, with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita telling parliament that protecting Moroccans from racially motivated attacks and far-right media campaigns has become a “central priority” of foreign policy.
The most recent case emerged in recent weeks. Aicha Achchab, born in Casablanca and living in Chieti, where she works as a cultural mediator, announced her candidacy for city council on a Democratic Party list.
Within hours, she was subjected to a wave of racially charged insults on social media from anonymous users, according to the Italian Democratic Party, which said the attacks targeted her origin and identity rather than her political platform.
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