Morocco election campaign opens with wealth gap in focus

Campaigning for Morocco’s legislative election opened Thursday, with economic and regional inequalities set to be a central issue before the September 23 vote.

Nearly 16 million people have registered to elect 395 members of the House of Representatives. The governing coalition is seeking to stay in power.

Economic development gaps and youth unemployment are in focus after tens of thousands of people, mostly Moroccans, crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July. The vote will also take place days before the first anniversary of a youth-led protest movement.

Young voters remain a small share of the electorate, with people aged 18 to 24 making up about three percent of those registered to vote.

Morocco’s prime minister, currently Aziz Akhannouch, is appointed by the king from the party that wins the most seats. The prime minister then forms a government for a five-year term, while the monarch keeps control of major policy decisions.

Parties have promoted programmes on social media, but some Moroccan media and commentators have questioned the substance of the campaign. News website Le360 criticised “dazzling financial promises” and said some platforms lacked clarity on funding. Political scientist Abdellah Tourabi wrote in TelQuel that the campaign lacked substantive political debate.