Morocco’s 2026 election: A test of political trust and engagement

Rabat, Morocco – Morocco’s parliamentary election campaign began on September 10, with 27 political parties competing for 395 seats in the House of Representatives. More than 15.8 million voters are registered for the September 23 vote, which will determine Parliament’s composition and play a central role in forming the next government.

But beyond the competition between parties, the election raises a deeper question: whether citizens believe the political system can respond to the problems shaping their daily lives.

That question is particularly important for younger Moroccans. An Afrobarometer survey published in March found that roughly a third of Moroccans aged 18 to 35 expressed trust in Parliament, the head of government and political parties. At the same time, young people were more likely than older Moroccans to post political content on social media and participate in demonstrations.

That does not necessarily mean young Moroccans are disengaged. The more important issue is whether they see electoral politics as an effective way of addressing the problems they face.

Morocco’s electoral politics operate within the constitutional framework established in 2011. The constitution defines Morocco as a constitutional, democratic, parliamentary and social monarchy and establishes a separation and balance of powers while preserving the monarchy’s central institutional role.

Under Article 47, the king appoints the head of government from the political party that comes first in elections to the House of Representatives. The king also presides over the Council of Ministers, while the government exercises executive power and Parliament exercises legislative and oversight functions.

Winning the largest number of seats, therefore, matters for forming the government, but the parliamentary result does not by itself determine the full distribution of political power.

The age profile of the electorate makes the question of political engagement more consequential.