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Morocco at a Crossroads: Between Daily Grievances and the Winds of the Upcoming Elections
Morocco is preparing for a decisive legislative election on the twenty-third of next September, when ballot boxes will open to elect 395 members of the House of Representatives, in an exceptional political, economic, and social context. Yet behind these organizational and logistical preparations, fundamental questions arise about the relationship between the Moroccan citizen and the electoral process, and whether this milestone can truly be a qualitative democratic moment, or whether it will remain merely a repetition of an electoral model that fails to translate people’s demands into effective public policies.
Daily Grievances Deepen
It is no secret that Moroccans are living through a social and economic reality that weighs heavily on their shoulders. The high cost of living is no longer just a seasonal complaint; it has turned into a chronic crisis hitting families’ purchasing power. Prices are rising at an accelerating pace, and basic goods now consume a large portion of household budgets, amid an unprecedented surge in oil and food prices. While some attribute part of this increase to global crises, mismanagement of domestic markets has directly contributed to exacerbating the situation, with accusations leveled at certain actors for diverting public subsidies from actual producers to middlemen and speculators.
On another front, the health sector suffers from real fragility despite efforts made within the framework of universalizing social protection. Equitable access to healthcare still faces major obstacles, and citizens complain of a shortage of health infrastructure and the difficulty of obtaining quality medical services, especially in remote and rural areas. As for the education sector, it too suffers from declining quality, as successive reforms have failed to bring about a real transformation that lives up to aspirations. Schools lack adequate infrastructure, curricula remain controversial, and the gap between educational institutions in major cities and marginalized areas continues to widen.
And it does not stop there. Unemployment, especially among young degree holders, remains a ticking time bomb threatening social stability. Moroccan youth, who make up the majority of the population, find themselves trapped between the absence of decent job opportunities and declining training quality. Social and territorial disparities deepen day after day, with the gap widening between regions enjoying development and others suffering exclusion and marginalization, fueling a sense of injustice and resentment.
Temporary Amnesia or Perpetual Drift?
These are the grievances that the Moroccan citizen lives with daily, and they form the building blocks of his social and political consciousness. But as soon as election dates approach, these grievances seem to suddenly vanish from the collective memory. The very people who were complaining about the high cost of living, the deterioration of public services, and unemployment suddenly find themselves caught up in an electoral fervor that may have nothing to do with political programs or development projects.
Sound trucks roam the alleys and neighborhoods, voices rise with partisan chants, leaflets and posters are distributed, and public discourse shifts from pressing social demands to partisan and personal conflicts. In this context, it is observed that a segment of voters acts according to individual utilitarian logic, where voting becomes merely an opportunity to obtain a job, a privilege, or a local service. People dance and leap from one party to another, not in search of a political program that meets their collective aspirations, but in search of fleeting personal gain.
This electoral behavior raises a pivotal question: Does this mean that the Moroccan people are not ready for democracy? Is democracy in Morocco merely a slogan raised on occasions, or is it a culture that must take root at a deep level?
Democracy Between Awareness and Practice
Democracy is not merely a periodic electoral procedure; it is a political and social culture based on awareness of the public interest and the ability to hold leaders accountable and demand rights. The problem in Morocco is not that the people do not want democracy, but that the electoral practice has not yet succeeded in building bridges of trust between the citizen and elected institutions. The citizen who sees that his vote changes nothing in his daily reality quickly loses faith in the electoral process, resorting either to abstention or to utilitarian voting.
This is where the greatest challenge lies. Democracy requires a conscious voter who chooses his representatives based on competence, integrity, and political program, not based on family, tribal, or clientelist affiliation. But this awareness is not born out of thin air; it requires political education, spaces for free public debate, and political parties that offer real alternatives rather than empty slogans.
The Establishment and the Wait
On the other side of the equation stands the role of what is known as the Makhzen, the deep state and sovereign institutions. Many Moroccans complain of the Makhzen’s control over political affairs, that elections do not really change anything of substance, and that actual decisions are made in corridors far from the ballot boxes.
But the question that arises is: Does the Makhzen truly reject democracy, or is it waiting for a conscious people to choose individuals of integrity and competence to take the reins? Sovereign institutions, foremost among them the monarchy, cannot remain detached from the social and economic repercussions of governmental failure. Consequently, any state that respects itself seeks to have a government capable of managing public affairs with competence, so that crises do not accumulate and turn into threats to stability.
In this context, it appears that sovereign institutions are waiting for the electoral process to produce a new political elite capable of bearing responsibility, and for there to be a genuine partnership between state institutions and elected institutions. King Mohammed VI, in his multiple speeches, has emphasized the need for good and early preparation for electoral deadlines, and stressed the importance of competence and integrity in managing public affairs. A central committee to monitor elections has also been activated, comprising the Minister of Interior and the Attorney General, with regional and provincial extensions, to ensure the integrity and honesty of the electoral process.
The Stakes of the Upcoming Elections
The upcoming legislative elections are taking place in a context that carries major challenges within it. The government emerging from these elections is expected to bear responsibility for organizing the 2030 World Cup, jointly with Spain and Portugal, an undertaking that imposes an extremely fast pace of infrastructure completion. Additionally, implementing the autonomy model in the southern regions represents another strategic challenge requiring a government capable of providing the administrative and political conditions for this transition.
On the social level, the next government will face the challenge of completing the construction of the social state. The universal social protection project has succeeded in expanding the scope of those registered in the health coverage system to include about ninety percent of the population, with the establishment of a direct social support system benefiting millions of families. But this achievement still faces challenges on the ground, particularly regarding the quality of health services and citizens’ purchasing power.
Are We at a Crossroads?
Yes, it seems that Morocco today stands at a genuine crossroads. Either the upcoming elections will be a station for renewing the political elite and restoring confidence in the democratic path, or they will remain merely a repetition of an electoral model incapable of bringing about the desired transformation.
What is required is not merely technically honest elections, but rebuilding the relationship between the citizen and politics. The Moroccan citizen must realize that his vote is not merely a tool for obtaining an immediate benefit, but a tool for change and accountability. Political parties must present real programs that touch people’s concerns, and move away from the logic of clientelism and favoritism.
Sovereign institutions are also called upon to open the door to genuine political practice, where the elected government is capable of managing public affairs with independence and competence, without being merely a facade for predetermined decisions.
Conclusion
The upcoming Moroccan elections are not merely a periodic constitutional obligation; they are a decisive moment for measuring the maturity of the democratic path in the country. The Moroccan people, despite all the grievances they suffer, hold in their hands an opportunity to make a difference, provided they move from a state of passive complaint to positive political action. The Makhzen, for its part, if it is waiting for a conscious people, must facilitate the conditions for practicing this awareness, and ensure that elections are truly an expression of the people’s will.
But if things remain as they are, we will continue to spin in a vicious circle: a people that complains then forgets, parties that compete for positions rather than projects, and institutions that wait for an awareness that never comes. Breaking out of this vicious circle requires genuine collective will, courage in facing reality, and a deep conviction that democracy is not a gift to be granted, but a responsibility that everyone must bear.