Gen-Z 212: Morocco's Revolt Against Corruption

In the early days of October, Morocco erupted in the biggest protests since the Arab Spring. Across Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to protest under the banner "GenZ 212," demanding a restructure of national priorities, an end to corruption, and accountable democracy.

These protests come in the context of high inequality in the country. The contrast is stark: at a government level, billions are being funneled into stadiums and infrastructure of the 2030 World Cup. The killing of stray animals under the justification of "cleaning up" before the games shows how the state is valuing its public image over lives. Meanwhile, public healthcare and education systems are under neglect. Recently, eight women died during childbirth at Hassan II Hospital in Agadir. Protesters are describing it as "the conditions in public hospitals are worse than jails." This is from a lack of funding. Morocco's doctor density is cited at 7.7 per 10,000, surprisingly low compared to other nations. In terms of the education system, schools are severely resource-limited, especially in more rural areas.

And the youth are feeling especially locked out from economic mobility. Youth unemployment is sitting at almost 38%, much higher than in other economies and a sign of crisis, and a struggle to live. Meanwhile, Morocco's corruption and nepotism have been rampant. The Minister of Education boasted about how his son could study abroad in more prestigious education systems, while the youth in Morocco are left at underfunded institutions. The elite's control over government contracts, political parties, and regulations has left much of society alienated. These problems aren't an independent grievance; rather, they tell a story of neglect, where the country only serves the few.

Taking inspiration from the protests in Nepal, the movement merged online. The GenZ 212 Discord, at first with only a few hundred members, exploded in membership to over 150,000 in a few days. This model of organizing modeled on Kathmandu allows real-time messaging and coordination of activism across cities. On September 27th and 28th, protests organized on the Discord server arose in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Agadir and quickly spread across the country. The movement quickly embraced demands for change and calls for Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to resign. In particular, slogans like "Nos hôpitaux, pas des stades" ("Hospitals, not stadiums") and "We are the youth, we are not parasites" could be heard across the nation.

What started as peaceful protests attracted the violent crackdown of security forces. By October 1st, the Moroccan Interior Ministry reported 263 security personnel injured, 23 protestors wounded, 409 arrested, and 142 police vehicles and 20 private cars damaged. These figures from the Moroccan government should still be taken with a grain of salt, as they are trying to maintain legitimacy. Furthermore, the actions of a few protestors who may turn to violence should not take away from the messaging from the general movement, which has been overwhelmingly peaceful, as encouraged by the GenZ 212 Discord.

As a result of police violence, the protests have turned fatal. In Lqliâa, 3 protestors were shot dead by the authorities. That same night in Oujda, a 19-year-old protester was struck by a police vehicle; now, he is facing one amputated leg and the other threatened by infection. This was not "self-defense" by the authorities, video evidence shows police vehicles driving straight through crowds of protesters. Authorities may justify force by citing looting or violence, but the majority of protest violence is reactive, not directive. Overwhelmingly, the struggle is against the elite, not security officers. Across multiple cities, arrests of protestors for exercising their right to free expression are proliferating. Organizations such as the Moroccan Association for Human Rights are condemning the arbitrary arrests as attacks on democracy.

These protests which are the largest at scale in around a decade show a test of legitimacy for the government. If the state can relegate the movement to "violent fringe" or "rioters," as other governments have done, then the movement may die down. But the overwhelmingly approving public response has shown that this is more likely. As long as the youth signal their need for change, the regime must either adapt or fall.