Low trust, voter apathy and youth disengagement cloud Morocco's next elections

With Morocco preparing for parliamentary elections later this year, a series of reports and surveys published over the past year suggest the country’s biggest electoral challenge may not be competition between political parties, but convincing citizens that participating in politics is worthwhile.

Among the most widely cited is Afrobarometer’s Dispatch AD1150, Les jeunes marocains expriment peu de confiance aux dirigeants et partis politiques, released in March 2026. Based on a nationally representative survey, the report found that only about one-third of Moroccans ages 18 to 35 trust parliament, the head of government, municipal councils or political parties.

The survey also found that young Moroccans are more likely than older generations to believe elected officials are involved in corruption, a perception closely linked to declining confidence in political institutions.

The report also highlights shifting patterns of political participation. While young Moroccans are less likely to vote, join political parties or contact elected officials, they are more likely to engage through social media and public protests, suggesting their disengagement is with traditional politics rather than public affairs more broadly.

Concerns over voter participation extend beyond young people. Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey found that more than one-third of Moroccans said they did not intend to vote, while more than 80% said they did not identify with any political party.

Researchers attributed the trend to growing frustration with political institutions and a perception that elections do not produce meaningful change.

Another warning came from the Association Les Citoyens, whose report, How Do Moroccans View the 2026 Elections?, found that electoral abstention is increasingly driven by demands for greater transparency, accountability and tangible results rather than simple political indifference.

According to the report, rebuilding public trust will require stronger measures against vote-buying, clearer accountability mechanisms and policies that directly address citizens’ daily concerns.

Youth political participation has also been the focus of several other studies. A report by the Tizi Center concluded that many young Moroccans feel excluded from political decision-making and called for reforms that would give them a greater role within political parties and public institutions.

Meanwhile, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s report, Morocco’s Youth Before the 2026 Election, found that economic insecurity, unemployment and limited confidence in political actors remain major obstacles to youth participation, even though many young people continue to engage with civic issues outside traditional politics.

Economic concerns emerge as a common theme across nearly every study. Afrobarometer, the Tizi Center and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung all identified unemployment, rising living costs, unequal opportunities and corruption as key factors eroding confidence in politics.

Researchers say these everyday concerns are likely to weigh heavily on voters as campaigning intensifies ahead of the parliamentary elections.