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

AFP via Getty ImagesMoroccan voters will find candidates from 27 parties on the ballotDisillusioned 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.Yet, for many young Moroccans, politics remains deeply disconnected from reality."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.The outcome of the vote will decide the make-up of the next government, just weeks after 60,000 people risked their lives to cross from the North African country to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta - a sign of the lack of opportunities many young people 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 also presides over the Council of Ministers - the country's most important policy-making body.The current campaign also 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 people faced prosecution following the unrest. Despite the crackdown, some young activists are choosing to enter the political arena.Anadolu via Getty ImagesSome 60,000 people swam from Morocco to the Spanish territory of Ceuta in late JulyHamza El Kharroubi, 29, was briefly arrested during the protests. He is now running for parliament with the little-known Environment and Sustainable Development Party, which has a green agenda."As a young person, I don't have much hope. I joined this party because they wanted more Gen Z faces and they are allowing us to speak freely about our demands," El Kharroubi tells the BBC.He comes from Tetouan, just 34km (21 miles) from Fnideq beach, where the migration wave to Ceuta started in late July.Some 60,000 people crossed, both Moroccans and other nationalities. At least 100 people 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 says.He argues that the crossing was widely linked to economic hardship and unemployment.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates overall unemployment stood at 13% last year, while youth unemployment - between the ages of 15 and 24 - reached 37.3%.El Kharroubi says 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."Fifa via Getty ImagesMorocco's FA president Fouzi Lekjaa is beloved by fans for helping put the Atlas Lions on the world football stageFouzi 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.The clips show crowds chanting "Sir" which means "Go" in Moroccan Arabic - the iconic catchphrase from Morocco's historic 2022 World Cup run, when it became the first Arab and African side to make it to the semi-finals.Lekjaa has promised to make 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 about this promise."The slogan 'one million jobs' has become an overused electoral slogan. There is also 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.AFP via Getty ImagesHuge pro-Palestinian protests often take place in RabatAlso seeking a political comeback is the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) - using anti-Israeli sentiments to woo voters.Morocco normalised ties with Israel in December 2020 along with several other Arab countries, under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.Led by populist former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, the PJD is campaigning heavily on a promise to end diplomatic ties with Israel. He says the normalisation was a "mistake" made by his party which led the government 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 announced earlier this month that Israel and Morocco had agreed to open full embassies in their respective countries.This followed a meeting between their top diplomats and the US ambassador to the United Nations."We have to speak up," Benkirane told 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 people," he added, warning of "the dangers of Israel and Zionism in Morocco".Siham AzeroualI think young people should focus on the microscale: rather than running for office, helping build communities and connecting with people 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," says Hiba, a 27-year-old Moroccan living in Canada who preferred not to use her last name.She lives in Montreal which has a large Moroccan diaspora of about 104,000 people, according to the 2016 census.Many 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.Hiba, who co-organised several Gen Z protests in Montreal, says she would have considered voting had she been able to find a proxy in Morocco - which is how those in the diaspora can cast their ballot."Gen Z protests didn't go in vain. We achieved something. At least now we see more debates with young people on state TV," she says.Azeroual, the environmental activist, agrees.But having lived through both the 20 February movement in 2011 that changed the constitution and the recent Gen Z movement, she believes change must come from a multi-faceted approach."I think young people should focus on the microscale - rather than running for office, helping build communities and connecting with people and then building up to the top," she says.Despite not being fully convinced by any political campaign, she says she will be heading to her local polling station to cast her ballot.You may also be interested in:Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafricaBBC Africa podcasts