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Morocco’s youth-led movement took to the streets again on Thursday after a mid-week pause, hoping their return will be forceful enough to prompt King Mohammed VI to fire the prime minister and enact long-promised reforms to tackle corruption and improve public services.
The “Gen Z 212” movement behind the protests called for the removal of a “corrupt government” and urged authorities to prioritize spending on health and education.
The nationwide demonstrations followed a mid-week pause that organizers say was designed to focus energy on a final show of force ahead of King Mohammed VI’s address to the country’s parliament on Friday.
Despite the smaller crowd, the anger of the attendees towards the government has not diminished.
In casablancaHundreds of people took to the streets carrying pictures depicting government ministers as devils. Some held banners that read, “We will not be silent any longer,” while others demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhnouch, who is one of Morocco’s wealthiest businessmen.
Many said they were anxiously awaiting the king’s planned address on Friday and were hoping he would expand on reforms that authorities have proposed in response to the protests.
“I came here a day before the king’s speech to demand better public services and an end to corruption,” said Koyo, a 22-year-old psychology student who declined to give his full name.
the protesters appeal to the king
The protests have targeted Morocco’s spending on infrastructure such as stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup and drawn a direct line between those priorities and the neglect of facilities for health care and education. The protests first erupted after eight women died in childbirth at a public hospital in Agadir, a large coastal city 300 miles (483 kilometers) south of the capital Rabat.
Gen Z 212 – the leaderless group behind the protests – has organized them on social media platforms tiktok And discordWhere it now has more than 200,000 followers. The collective says the investment choices demonstrate how corrupt, unaccountable officials are disconnected from youth concerns.
Elected officials and government ministers have tried to respond to their complaints. But planned investments and reforms in medical education have hardly satisfied him and he has turned to broader reforms.
Last week the leaderless movement published a public letter to the king calling on him to dismiss the government and corrupt political parties, release political prisoners and convene a national forum to curb corruption.
“We, the youth of Morocco, are requesting His Majesty to intervene for a thorough and just reform that restores rights and punishes the corrupt,” the group wrote in the letter.
These demands were clearly on display at Thursday’s demonstrations, including in Casablanca, where youth activists attacked government officials and called on the king, as Morocco’s supreme authority, to act on their behalf.
“We hope this will be a good omen for us, for Moroccan youth and for all Moroccans,” Soufiane, an 18-year-old college student, told The Associated Press. He carried a “wanted” poster depicting Health Minister Amin Tahraoui and, like most people at unauthorized demonstrations, declined to give his full name for fear of reprisals.
The Health Ministry did not respond to requests for an interview.
The movement faces setbacks
Gen Z 212 lost some popular support after reports of looting and storefronts being vandalized in several cities last Wednesday and Thursday. It has struggled to revive momentum and maintain pressure on the government. The group condemned the violence and vandalism and, in some cities, protesters organized clean-up operations and gave flowers to security forces.
Despite organizers’ tactics, Thursday’s protests appeared smaller than those of the past week and weekend, which emerged as one of the country’s largest demonstrations of anti-government anger in years.
Since September 27, security forces have arrested hundreds of participants, killing three and injuring others in clashes that rights groups have criticized as heavy-handed violence. Local media reported last week that 66 participants were facing charges of vandalism related to protests in northern Morocco.
Amid the arrests, politicians from all political parties have expressed sympathy with the protesters’ demands and urged them to engage in talks rather than demanding their resignation.
Moroccan government spokesman Mustafa Baitas reiterated on Thursday that authorities were working quickly to mobilize resources and fill the gaps.
Support spans generations
In Morocco, people born between 1995 and 2010, known as Gen Z, form the largest part of the population. According to official figures, about 25% of them are neither employed nor in school or training.
Unemployment remains a major problem for people in the age group of 15 to 24. Overall, 35.8% are unemployed, including 19% of graduates. The scenario is even worse in areas far from Morocco’s urban centres, where protests have been most extreme.
Although the protests began on social media platforms popular among young people, they have begun to receive support from various demographic groups, including support from all age groups.
“I’m not Gen Z myself but I decided to come to the protests because for me all those demands are legitimate,” said Ali, an entrepreneur from Casablanca.