Morocco goes to polls in wake of Spanish border crisis

Morocco will hold a parliamentary election on Wednesday in response to a Spanish border crisis and youth discontent. This is the nation's fourth election since the 2011 Arab uprisings, during which King Mohammed VI granted parliament more power. The two ruling parties close to the palace, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (Pam), are focusing their campaigns on youth employment, with promises to create around a million jobs in the next term.

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta experienced a surge in July, primarily attributed to economic hardship among young people. Despite improvements in living standards in major Moroccan cities due to manufacturing, ports, and railways, progress remains uneven. The two parties have also highlighted a $20 billion infrastructure investment plan for the 2030 World Cup co-hosted with Spain and Portugal.

They have utilized streaming rallies on social media to attract young voters. Analysts note that the challenge of engaging young voters was evident through deadly, Gen-Z-led protests last year and the Ceuta border rush. Only a third of Moroccans aged 18 to 35 trust parliament, the Prime Minister, or political parties, as per a March Afrobarometer survey.

The Moroccan monarchy maintains control over the country's overarching policy direction and has consolidated power over major portfolios like foreign and interior ministries. An Islamist party governed Morocco for about a decade before losing in the last vote, ceding power to the coalition parties. Economic strategy has been heavily relied upon by authorities, with Morocco already being one of Africa's most diversified and industrialized economies.

The "New Development Model", launched about five years ago, aims to double the GDP per capita by 2035, with sectors like deepwater ports, phosphates, green energy, and railway lines benefiting from significant investment.