Moroccans vote amid economic woes and youth unrest in parliamentary election

On Wednesday, Moroccian voters turned out in large numbers to decide the composition of the lower house, the House of Representatives, in the country’s 12th legislative election since 1956. Twenty-seven parties are vying for 395 seats, and although King Mohammed VI will keep the bulk of executive authority, the appointed head of government will need the backing of at least 198 deputies to secure parliamentary confidence.

The contest unfolds amid a deepening economic crisis, with high prices and a cost-of-living squeeze fueling widespread frustration, especially among young people who staged protests last year and recently tried to cross into Ceuta. A newly introduced financial scheme for candidates under 35 seeks to encourage youth turnout, while the roughly six million Moroccans living abroad must designate a proxy to vote. Major parties such as the National Rally of Independents and the Authenticity and Modernity Party have centered their campaigns on employment and price issues, and the election comes as Morocco prepares for the costly 2030 World Cup. Legal reforms also introduced criminal penalties for digital offences, reflecting concerns over online misinformation during the campaign.