Morocco Legislative Elections: Youth Turnout Remains Very Low at 4%

Moroccan voters are heading to the polls on Wednesday to elect the 395 members of the Chamber of Representatives in an election considered particularly important for the country's future. According to France 24, only 4% of young voters mobilized to vote.

This low turnout comes as Moroccan youth face high unemployment rates and difficulties accessing public services, issues that rank among the concerns expressed by part of the population ahead of this election.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy in which the king retains significant prerogatives, particularly in foreign policy, defense and religious matters. The elected Parliament and the government formed from it have authority over a number of public policies, but according to several observers, the actual room for maneuver of elected officials remains constrained by the central role of the royal palace in Morocco's political system.

The legislative elections determine the composition of the Chamber of Representatives, which is responsible notably for voting on laws and the state budget. The low mobilization of young voters, if confirmed, reignites debate over this segment of the population's engagement in the kingdom's political life, at a time when youth employment remains one of the country's major economic and social challenges.

The results of Wednesday's election were not yet known at the time of publication.