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

What the report says

Morocco is holding a parliamentary election campaign that began on September 10 ahead of a September 23 vote, with 27 parties competing for 395 seats in the House of Representatives. More than 15.8 million people are registered to vote. As Al Jazeera reports from Rabat, the contest will help shape Parliament and the next government, but it is also being treated as a test of whether citizens still trust electoral politics to address everyday concerns.

Youth unemployment, living costs and public services dominate the debate. The article says younger Moroccans are among the least trusting of political institutions, even as they are more active on social media and in demonstrations. It adds that Morocco’s economy has grown, but job creation has not kept pace, leaving high unemployment especially among people aged 15 to 24. Al Jazeera also places this in the broader context of a monarchy-centered constitutional system, where the king appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats.

The main governing parties since 2021 — the National Rally of Independents, Authenticity and Modernity Party, and Istiqlal — are campaigning on jobs, wages and services. The PJD, which suffered major losses in 2021, is trying to regain support with a broad reform programme. Al Jazeera says the election will show whether Morocco’s development plans can translate into visible improvements in daily life, especially for younger voters.