By Joy Essien, Contributing Editor, Lagos Metropolitan.
A series of ongoing youth-led demonstrations in Morocco began on the 27 September, 2025. Organised by decentralised, anonymous collectives known as GenZ 212 and Morocco Youth Voice, protesters demanded significant improvement to public education and healthcare, while criticizing government spending on international sporting events like the 2030 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. This is the largest protest since 2011-2012 Moroccan protests. Demonstrators expressed discontent with the deterioration of the quality of public services, and state investment in infrastructure for international sporting events over public services.
The protests emerged against a backdrop of high youth unemployment, which official statistics placed at 35.8% along with allegations of corruption and popular discontent over social inequality in Morocco. More than half of Morocco’s population is under 35, making Morocco experience a youth bulge. Public anger intensified in September when 8 women during childbirth at a public hospital in Agadir, highlighting the fragile healthcare system. According to the WHO, Morocco has only 7.7 doctors per 10,000 people, while some regions like Agadir registers 4.4 per 10,000. This is below the recommended 25.
3 protesters were shot dead after a Royal Gendarmerie station was stormed in Lqliáa. According to the ministry of interior, at least 409 protesters were arrested (most of whom were minors) 28 were injured (including one in critical condition in Oujda) and 326 security forces were injured.
After almost 10 days of not taking to the streets, young Moroccans resumed their protests in front of parliament in the capital, Rabat, on Saturday. Protesters are demanding government reform education and healthcare, while tackling corruption and the high cost of living. This was the first demonstration since King Mohammed VI addressed parliament 10 days ago following weeks of unrest.
Refusing to let the coming wave of fanfare around December’s Africa Cup of Nation overshadow their demands, protesters urged a boycott of soccer matches at the country’s new stadiums. They also called for the release of arrested demonstrators during earlier protests.
So far, the Moroccan GenZs have their government by the balls, leaving the government no choice but to accede to their demands. The government said it would prioritize social spending next year with nearly $13M allocated to healthcare and education and create more than 27,000 jobs in those sectors.
The Moroccan government announced a set of measures aimed at encouraging young people to engage in politics and committed broad social reforms.
Official figures show that lack of education is a key driver to poverty, which has nevertheless fallen from nearly 12% of the population in 2014 to 6.8% in 2024. Morocco’s GenZ-led protests have drawn inspiration from similar movements in nations like Nepal and Madagascar. I hope the government keeps it’s promise because what they’re promising will come next year after the sporting event in December. I hope the youth don’t settle, and the protests don’t lose momentum till they get what they want.
