By Mirna Fahmy

In late September 2025, Morocco was shaken by a significant wave of large-scale protests, spearheaded by young people under the banner of “Generation Z 212.” These demonstrations erupted across major cities, including Rabat, Marrakesh, and Casablanca, driven by demands for immediate improvements in the health and education sectors, and an end to widespread corruption. A key point of contention for the young protesters was the government’s perceived misallocation of funds, specifically criticizing the heavy spending on hosting international sporting events like the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, while essential public services deteriorated and the economic situation for youth worsened.

Who is “Generation Z 212”?

Morocco’s Generation Z, comprising those born between 1997 and 2012 (aged 13 to 28), represents more than a quarter of the country’s population. This cohort is defined by its digital fluency, having grown up immersed in the internet, smartphones, and social media. This environment has fostered a distinctly critical orientation toward existing social and political conditions. The “Generation Z 212” movement is notable for its decentralized organization, relying heavily on social networks like Discord and TikTok to mobilize and communicate. They express acute frustration over soaring youth unemployment, which stands at approximately 35.8% among young people, and the decline of health and education services, demanding genuine reform and a rejection of current government policies.

The protests quickly escalated into a stark expression of a major crisis of trust between Morocco’s youth and its political elite, underscoring the urgent need for the government to address the precarious future of its young population. While some initial protests turned violent, resulting in casualties and arrests, peaceful demonstrations have continued in several cities, with young people reiterating their calls for transparency and comprehensive governmental reform.

Why the Protests Erupted?

The protests stem from an accumulation of severe social and economic crises. The immediate catalyst for the unrest was a tragic incident at the Hassan II Hospital in Agadir, where the death of eight pregnant women in a short period shocked the public and exposed the critical fragility of the public healthcare system. This event crystallized the deeper, systemic issues facing the nation.

The primary, underlying causes are deeply rooted in economics and social inequality, highlighted by the high youth unemployment and the deteriorating quality of essential public services. Fueling popular discontent was the stark contrast between the government’s continued massive investment in infrastructure for major sporting events and the visible lack of resources for citizens’ healthcare and education. This led to potent slogans during the protests, such as: “The stadiums are here, where are the hospitals?”

Government Reaction and the Security Response

The Moroccan government’s official response to the “Generation Z 212” protests in 2025 aimed to strike a difficult balance between dialogue and control. The response combined an official willingness to listen to youth demands and engage in institutional dialogue with an emphasis on maintaining public security and order.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed that security forces sought to manage the protests while protecting public order and fundamental rights, but also took action against those who resorted to violence—including the use of knives, Molotov cocktails, and stone-throwing. Extensive security interventions took place in several cities, leading to the arrest of hundreds of protesters, including minors. The government described the violent escalation as a threat to security and vowed to pursue and punish those responsible for acts of violence. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch praised the security forces’ actions while reiterating the government’s openness to dialogue.

In a speech before Parliament on October 10, 2025, King Mohammed VI called on Moroccan officials to address social injustice and address youth issues raised by the “Generation Z” protests. The King emphasized the importance of accelerating the implementation of reforms aimed at creating job opportunities for young people, improving public services such as the education and health sectors, and reducing regional disparities, especially in mountainous areas and oases. He emphasized the need to achieve tangible results that reflect a real improvement in the living conditions of citizens across all social and regional areas.

He pointed to the need to balance major projects with social development, emphasizing that any economic progress that does not translate into positive impacts on people’s lives is meaningless.

In a further response, the Moroccan government announced an acceleration of development projects, particularly in the health sector, and opened a limited dialogue with some youth movement leaders. Meanwhile, security authorities continued their campaign of arrests and containment of protests, drawing international human rights criticism for the use of excessive force in suppressing demonstrations.

The Shadow of Exploitation and Political Context

Analyses, including those cited by Independent Arabia, suggested that while the basic demands of the youth are legitimate, there is a possibility that “infiltrators” are exploiting the demonstrations to incite violence and chaos, despite the organizers’ calls for peaceful action. Political analysts have warned of “hidden hands” seeking to exploit the protests to undermine Morocco’s political and social stability, noting that the shift to violence compromises the legitimacy of the core demands.

International media, including the BBC, CNN, and DW, noted the possibility of political or security exploitation of some violent elements but overall emphasized that the primary motivation remains the profound social and economic crisis facing Moroccan youth. Significantly, these reports consistently noted that the protests were not directed against the Moroccan monarchy unlike some Arabic reports that say that some of the slogans were calls for the monarchy system  to fall down.

Echoes of Past Protests

Morocco has a history of popular movements for change, most notably the 2011 Arab Spring protests, which culminated in significant constitutional amendments and political reforms. The 2011 Constitution established Morocco as a constitutional, parliamentary, democratic, and social monarchy, granting greater powers to the prime minister (now head of the executive branch) and expanding the oversight role of parliament. It also recognized the Amazigh language as an official language and strengthened citizens’ rights and freedoms. However, the King retained broad and vital powers, particularly over the armed forces, foreign policy, the judiciary, and religious affairs.

Despite these reforms, a power dynamic persists, with reports from institutions like Brookings and the Carnegie Endowment suggesting the Palace firmly controls the political system and that a “secret structure” of executive and security forces outside the formal constitutional framework wields significant political and economic influence.

The Justice and Development Party (PJD), an Islamist party also known as “The Muslim Brotherhood” that adheres to a policy of political participation within the constitutional monarchy, has experienced fluctuations, including severe electoral defeats in 2021. Nevertheless, it is actively working to regain influence before the 2026 elections.

Despite the Muslim Brotherhood being banned by many Arabic-speaking countries—particularly following the Arab Spring uprisings in North Africa—Morocco has taken a different approach. The Moroccan branch was not banned because it is registered as a political party that received the necessary advisory decision from the Constitutional Court to exist. According to several unnamed Moroccan experts, the organization was never opposed to the country’s parliamentary monarchy; in fact, they worked closely with the King. Furthermore, the party’s decade-long tenure in power was achieved through fair, democratic elections and was not the result of a “coup de force.”

Ruling dilemmas

The current Moroccan royal family, the Alaouite dynasty, has been in power since the 17th century, with the dynasty originating in the Tafilalt region. They rose to power in the 1660s after the collapse of the Saadi Sultanate, with the first ruler to establish authority over the entire country being Sultan al-Rashid in 1666. 

A combination of internal issues and external pressures has recently put Morocco’s future in doubt. Analysts fear that if the monarchy were to collapse—a scenario frequently raised in the Arabic speaking nations since the Arab Spring or any revolution, especially when reforms stall—the country would instantly face a dangerous security vacuum. The expected consequences are chaos, institutional breakdown, and a surge of migration to Europe.

In such a volatile environment, the country’s Islamist movements would become central. Divided between the moderate PJD and the more radical Justice and Charity Group, these movements could seize the opportunity to expand their influence, much like Islamists did in other regional states after regime collapses. Alternatively, the Moroccan Army might intervene to safeguard national unity, potentially establishing a military council or leading the country toward a new republic, similar to the Egyptian transition after 2013.

From an international perspective, Western countries and the United States have a vested interest in a stable Morocco, and diplomatic actions in 2025 reaffirm this ongoing policy. Their support is driven by shared strategic priorities, including security, regional stability, economic interests, and counterterrorism efforts. 

The U.S. and its Western allies view Morocco as a key player in maintaining security in the volatile North Africa and Sahel regions. The U.S. The State Department notes that its assistance “enhances the Government of Morocco’s capacity to promote security and prevent acts of terrorism while addressing core drivers of instability”.

Western countries view Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara as a “credible, serious, and realistic” solution for a long-standing dispute. This stance is seen as promoting stability by isolating separatist elements, particularly those backed by Algeria.