NORTH AFRICA DESK
Morocco has been rocked by its largest protests in over a decade. Thousands of young people—mostly “Gen Z”—have taken to the streets in at least 11 cities, from Rabat and Casablanca to Agadir, Tangier and Oujda.
The protests began in Agadir, sparked by anger at poor healthcare. But they quickly snowballed into nationwide demonstrations against corruption, unemployment, and the sense that the government is prioritizing prestige projects like the 2030 World Cup over people’s daily struggles.
Protesters blocked highways, clashed with police, and in some towns set banks on fire and damaged police vehicles. In Oujda, protesters even attempted to storm government offices. Security forces responded with mass arrests, with around 200 arrested in the first two days.
In the last 48 hours, the situation has escalated further. At least two people were killed in Leqliaa, near Agadir, after police opened fire during an attempted storming of a gendarmerie station. More than 260 security officers and 23 civilians have been injured, while over 400 arrests have now been confirmed.
Protesters have used knives, stones, and Molotov cocktails, torching banks, police vehicles, and government buildings in Inzegane, Ait Amira, and Sidi Bibi. Nearly 100 detainees are now facing prosecution in Rabat.
Morocco’s political safeguards
The protests mark the most serious challenge since 2011, when King Mohammed VI weathered the Arab Spring by avoiding bloody crackdowns and instead offered constitutional reforms. These reforms gave the appearance of change while preserving the monarchy’s central power.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), the local offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood rose from that moment, promising reform and more social justice. But its record was plagued by corruption scandals, stagnant reforms, rapprochement with Israel, and distance from its conservative base. By 2021, the PJD collapsed in elections, replaced by the National Rally of Independents (NRI), led by billionaire Aziz Akhannouch.
Akhannouch, long associated with corruption and price-fixing scandals, has been deeply unpopular. His tenure has coincided with rising living costs, stagnant wages, and little meaningful reform. While the monarchy maintains “fail-safes”—the King can dismiss governments to absorb popular anger—the deeper issue is that no government has been able to address the core frustrations of Morocco’s youth.
The economic trap
Morocco is often hailed as a North African success story. Real GDP growth has grown steadily since reforms began in the early 2000s, driven by automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy industries. The country markets itself as a stable hub between Europe and Africa.
But beneath the surface lies a “middle-income trap”. The economy still relies heavily on low-cost manufacturing, agriculture, and remittances, but struggles to transition into a knowledge-driven, high-income model, which has led to high unemployment rates for the country’s youth.
For many young Moroccans, the government’s focus on stadiums and infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup is a symbol of misplaced priorities. Meanwhile, corruption and entrenched rentier elites block competition and stifle reform. The result: an educated youth with few opportunities, fueling resentment that boils into the streets.
Protestor demands
The Morocco protests were originally unorganized and leaderless, born out of a common, general frustration. However, as the protests have continued, an online group called “GenZ 212” has emerged as a voice for the movement. Organized on the gaming-focused social media platform Discord, GenZ 212 has tried to form cohesive demands for protestors while also seeking to rein in violent demonstrations.
So far, GenZ 212 has called on the King to use his powers to dismiss the Akhannouch government. They have also called for a judicial process to target corruption and the release of all detainees. Notably, GenZ 212 has rejected violence and vandalism, calling for protests to remain peaceful.
Morocco in a global pattern
What makes Morocco’s unrest especially significant is that it is part of a wider Gen Z wave of defiance. Across continents, young people are forcing confrontations with entrenched elites:
- Indonesia (August 2025): Frustration over financial bonuses given to members of Parliament led to massive youth protests, with some commentators beginning to give them the moniker of the “Gen-Z movement”.
- Nepal (September 2025): Protests erupted after the government banned social media apps to silence criticism of “nepo kids.” Within a week, Parliament was stormed and the government collapsed.
- Madagascar (September 2025): Security forces killed 22 protesters. Under pressure, President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government.
In each case, repression accelerated unrest rather than containing it. In Nepal’s case, an entire government collapsed. Morocco’s youth are explicitly citing these examples, drawing strength from the idea that established rules can be broken.
Conclusion: Morocco’s balancing act
For now, Morocco retains advantages its peers lacked: a monarchy with political safety valves, a relatively diversified economy, and a security state that can react quickly. These buffers make a Nepal-style collapse unlikely.
But the risks are clear. Heavy repression may buy calm in the short term, but it deepens long-term frustration. The deaths in Leqliaa, mass arrests, and violent clashes across provincial towns show that anger is already radicalizing parts of a generation unwilling to play by old rules.
The real test lies in whether Morocco addresses corruption and youth unemployment. Without serious reform, the monarchy risks radicalizing a generation that no longer accepts old limits.
Prime Minister Akhannouch has said that his government is willing to listen to protestors' demands, while Health Minister Amine Tehraoui and Housing Minister Fatima Zahra Mansouri admitted the government has not done enough.
However, there is likely little the Akhannouch government can do to address major societal issues quickly, and faces the potential of removal by the King. The monarchy itself will need to calculate what to do, as removing Akhannouch might either placate protestors, or embolden them further.
Morocco’s Gen Z has shown it is willing to defy rules once thought untouchable. The question is whether Morocco’s rulers will heed the warning—or discover too late that the ground has already shifted.