- Youth-led protests resume in Morocco after over 10 days’ pause
- Demonstrators demand reform of education, healthcare and tackle corruption
RABAT, MOROCCO – Thousands of young Moroccans rallied outside parliament in the capital on Saturday, following a 10-day pause, to signal that they will continue their protests until their demands are met.
Led by the online-youth collective Gen Z 212, demonstrators called for sweeping reforms to education and healthcare, a crackdown on corruption and urgent action on the cost-of-living crisis. The gathering marked the movement’s first major public display since King Mohammed VI addressed parliament ten days earlier.
“It sends a message to the authorities. Even though we paused for more than 10 days, we are continuing, and will continue until our demands are met, not just in words but in reality,” said one protester, Reda in a BBC report.
“We want to see solutions that satisfy young people and make us feel that our daily sacrifices are worthwhile.”
Another protester, Naji, reflected on the movement’s trajectory: “Whether this movement will bear its fruit, I think it’s very soon to tell. There will still be, you know, political changes that will come in the upcoming days. In politics there are a lot of variables that enter in the equation, and a lot of things can change. So, I think that it’s soon to tell but obviously the youth are hopeful.”
Wider context of the unrest
The Gen Z 212 protests emerged in late September, initially triggered by the death of eight women during childbirth at a hospital in Agadir – an incident widely criticised as symptomatic of deep dysfunction in Morocco’s public health system. The protests are largely organised via social-media channels such as Discord, TikTok and Instagram and have grown to span more than a dozen cities.
The movement articulates core grievances around youth unemployment – estimated at around a third of the under-35 population – regional inequality, and government spending priorities. Protest slogans like “Hospitals before stadiums” spotlight frustration at billions of dollars being poured into infrastructure for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, while essential public services lag.
Government efforts to quell the unrest have included arrests of hundreds of protesters and convictions of dozens of those accused of violence or vandalism. For example, the court in Agadir recently sentenced 17 individuals to a combined 162 years in prison. Despite this, Gen Z 212 insists the movement remains overwhelmingly peaceful and socially rooted.
However, the government continues to insist it is listening. In his address to parliament, King Mohammed VI called for accelerated improvement in education and healthcare and rural development – though he did not mention the youth movement by name.
On the ground in Rabat, many young protesters gathered early, waving placards and chanting slogans, determined to sustain momentum. Their message: despite the lull they are back – and for the long haul.
