How Ceuta, football and Israel are shaping Morocco's election

Disillusioned young voters in Morocco were courted with viral football slogans, promises of one million jobs and anti-Israel rallying calls ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary elections.

Key points

• She lives in Montreal which has a sizeable Moroccan diaspora of concerning 104, 000 individuals, according to the 2016 census.
• While youth unemployment – between the ages of 15 and 24 – reached 37.3%, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates overall unemployment stood at 13% last year.
• Morocco normalised ties with Israel in December 2020 along with a number of other Arab countries, under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
• Pam is competing against 26 other parties, including Prime Minister Akhannouch's National Rally of Independents (RNI).
• He comes from Tetouan, just 34km (21 miles) from Fnideq beach, where the migration wave to Ceuta began in late July.

"I have no hope for this election. I'm ashamed of our political scene. It's a complete circus, " Siham Azeroual, 32, an environmental activist who lives in the Atlas region, tells the BBC.

In practice, the outcome of the vote will decide the make-up of the next administration, just weeks after 60, 000 residents risked their lives to cross from the North African country to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta – a sign of the lack of opportunities plenty of young residents feel they have at home.

Morocco operates as a constitutional monarchy where political parties compete for 395 seats in the House of Representatives, the legislative chamber.

Yet executive power remains closely tied to the crown. King Mohammed VI, the 63-year-old monarch, appoints the prime minister from the political party that comes first in the election, but additionally presides over the Council of Ministers – the country's most notable policy-making body.

In practice, the current campaign additionally follows a wave of Gen Z protests that erupted in September 2025 over unemployment, healthcare and living costs.

Demonstrators chanted slogans like "freedom, dignity, and social justice" which escalated to "get out Akhannouch", a reference to current Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

More than 2, 400 individuals faced prosecution after the unrest. Despite the crackdown, some young activists are choosing to enter the political arena.

Hamza El Kharroubi, 29, was briefly arrested during the protests. He is now running for parliament with the little-known Environment and Sustainable Development Party. It has a green agenda.

"As a young person, I don't have much hope. I joined this party since they wanted more Gen Z faces and they are allowing us to speak freely concerning our demands, " El Kharroubi tells the BBC.

Some 60, 000 individuals crossed, both Moroccans and other nationalities. At least 100 individuals died in the largest migration surge to the enclave in recent history.

"We want justice for the families of those who died crossing to Ceuta. We want compensation for their families, " El Kharroubi notes.

He argues that the crossing was widely linked to economic hardship and unemployment.

El Kharroubi notes his goal is not to compete with established heavyweights – but securing a voice in parliament to build toward 2031.

"As young people, we have to enter the parliament so by 2031 we have strong young politicians who can compete for a seat in the government."

Fouzi Lekjaa, head of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and a senior politician who works in the finance ministry, has emerged as the kingdom's newest political sensation – and a definite heavyweight.

Credited with helping the Atlas Lions – as the national men's football team is known – become global contenders, Lekjaa joined the centrist Party of Authenticity and Modernity (Pam) in July.

Videos of his campaign rallies have gone viral in the football-mad nation that is jointly hosting the next World Cup along with Spain and Portugal.

When it became the first Arab and African side to create it to the semi-finals, the clips show crowds chanting "Sir" which means "Go" in Moroccan Arabic – the iconic catchphrase from Morocco's historic 2022 World Cup run.

Lekjaa has promised to create Morocco sixth in the world in education and healthcare, to match the Fifa ranking of the men's football team.

Pam is competing against 26 other parties, including Prime Minister Akhannouch's National Rally of Independents (RNI). In its bid for a second term, RNI has renewed a pledge to create one million job opportunities by 2031.

Political expert Rachid Aourraz, from the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA), remains sceptical regarding this promise.

"The slogan 'one million jobs' has become an overused electoral slogan. There is additionally talk of raising the minimum wage, but what is proposed cannot withstand a structural inability to create stable net jobs, " Aourraz tells the BBC.

He adds that major parties "do not compete over an alternative model", but rather over how to implement public policies set by a royal vision.

Additionally seeking a political comeback is the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) – using anti-Israeli sentiments to woo voters.

Led by populist former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, the PJD is campaigning heavily on a promise to end diplomatic ties with Israel. He notes the normalisation was a "mistake" produced by his party which led the administration between 2016 and 2021.

Bilateral ties were hit during the Gaza war with weekly protests taking place in the capital, Rabat, against the Israeli diplomatic presence.

During the conflict the Israeli liaison office was closed and direct flights between the two countries were suspended.

Yet despite an outpouring of pro-Palestinian protests, with tens of thousands taking to the streets and setting ablaze the Israeli flag at the height of the war, it was confirmed earlier this month that Israel and Morocco had agreed to open full embassies in their respective countries.

This followed a session between their top diplomats and the US ambassador to the United Nations.

"We have to speak up, " Benkirane informed supporters at a campaign rally in Marrakesh.

"If we work hard, the king will close the Israeli embassy. The king does not like going against his own individuals, " he added, warning of "the dangers of Israel and Zionism in Morocco".

I think young individuals should focus on the microscale: rather than running for office, helping build communities and connecting with residents and then building up to the top.

More than half of Morocco's total population of roughly 38.8 million is under the age of 35 – though only 4% of the more than 15.8 million registered voters are aged between 18 and 24.

"I am not keeping up much with the campaigns – but I noticed the same faces as usual, " notes Hiba, a 27-year-old Moroccan living in Canada who preferred not to apply her last name.

Plenty of of last year's Gen Z protests were more vocal outside the country, where young Moroccans were able to express their anger without fear of repercussions.

For now, how Ceuta, football and Israel are shaping Morocco' s election remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.