Young voters are in focus as Morocco prepares for parliamentary elections on September 23.
The vote comes nearly a year after youth-led protests called for improvements in healthcare, education, employment and public services.
Some young Moroccans who took part in those demonstrations are now running for parliament.
However, voter registration among younger people remains low as parties seek to win their support.
Young candidates enter Morocco election
Moroccans will choose 395 members of the House of Representatives.
A total of 7,288 candidates from 27 political parties are competing in the election.
Among them are young candidates who participated in the protests that spread across several Moroccan cities in 2025.
Younes Belaidi, 29, is running for the Progress and Socialism Party in Casablanca’s Ain Chock district.
Belaidi, who works for the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights, previously took part in the protests.
“To solve the problem, we, young people, must participate strongly and in large numbers,” he told the Associated Press.
Another party member and former protest participant, Aymane Saissi, also expressed cautious hope about the election.
“I cannot say that I have a lot of hope, but there is hope,” Saissi told AP.
He said he wanted the next government to address healthcare, education and living standards.
Youth unemployment remains a major issue
Jobs remain one of the main concerns surrounding the Morocco youth vote.
Official figures put unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 at 37% in 2025. The overall unemployment rate was 13%.
Meanwhile, economic growth has not created enough jobs for the country’s young population.
The World Bank expects Morocco’s economy to grow by 4.2% in 2026, according to AP.
Political parties have therefore placed employment and economic opportunities among the main issues in the campaign.
Few young Moroccans registered to vote
Youth participation at the ballot box remains another challenge.
People aged 18 to 24 make up around 12% of Morocco’s population.
However, they account for only about 4% of registered voters, according to official figures cited by AP.
Morocco has around 15.8 million registered voters.
The figures highlight a gap between the country’s young population and its representation among registered voters.
Election follows youth-led protests
The election is Morocco’s first parliamentary vote since the youth-led demonstrations of 2025.
Protesters raised concerns about healthcare, education, employment and corruption.
Meanwhile, migration has also become part of the wider debate over opportunities available to young Moroccans.
Some young people attempted to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta during a mass border movement this summer.
Ayoub Belaidi, 23, told AP that he had crossed into Ceuta before returning to Morocco.
He said he had been searching for new opportunities but encountered difficult conditions after crossing.
Parties seek support from young voters
Morocco’s political parties have increasingly focused on employment and living standards during the campaign.
However, young Moroccans hold different views about whether elections can bring meaningful change.
Some former protesters have chosen to run for office. Others remain sceptical about political parties and their promises.
The September 23 election will determine the composition of the 395-seat House of Representatives.
As voting day approaches, youth employment, public services and political participation remain central issues in Morocco’s election debate.