Morocco announced a sweeping social-spending and political-participation package after weeks of youth-led rallies over inequality, healthcare and education.

The 2026 budget framework allocates about 140 billion dirhams to core services, alongside electoral tweaks designed to draw younger Moroccans into politics—moves officials hope will calm a movement that has questioned priorities from stadium outlays to hospital capacity.

Spending Pledge and Political Reforms

The finance blueprint raises health and education funding to about 140 billion dirhams ($15 billion)—a double-digit increase from last year—and adds 27,000 new jobs in both sectors.

Proposed measures would exclude candidates with criminal records and subsidize up to 75% of campaign costs for those under 35, aiming to rejuvenate parties and boost youth and women’s representation. Officials also announced upgrades to 90 hospitals and expanded early-childhood support.

What Sparked the Street Anger

Protests under the “Gen Z 212” banner spread across major cities, driven by anger over poor services and lavish World Cup spending, with the chant “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?” capturing their core grievance.

The unrest followed maternal deaths at an Agadir hospital and wider accusations of corruption and unequal access to care and education, while youth unemployment in the mid-30s has deepened frustrations among a generation organizing mainly on Discord and similar platforms.

Signals from the Palace and Parliament

The reform push accompanies calls to end “a Morocco moving at two speeds,” stressing social cohesion and regional equity. Draft measures would encourage under-35s to enter politics, easing eligibility rules to foster new candidates and improve party transparency.

Whether this restores trust among first-time voters and redirects street energy into ballots will depend on visible progress in hospitals and schools over the next year.