Africa · updated 58m ago · 2 min read
Hamza El Kharroubi Campaigns In Tetouan As Morocco Youth Push Gen Z Demands Into Parliament Elections
Hamza El Kharroubi, 28, campaigns in Tetouan for a parliamentary seat. He founded the Environment and Sustainability Party to channel Gen Z protests into voting.
What explains youth mobilisation and how parties should respond.
3 of 4 outlets skipped it: candidates canvassed by attending a rural funeral as a stop.
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Al Jazeera
“the lesson of the Gen Z protests is that young people are no longer willing to settle for”Read the original ↗
UA.NEWS
“young people seek not general promises but tangible results: quality education, decent public healthcare, jobs”Read the original ↗
Al Jazeera emphasises debate and decision-making; UA.NEWS stresses tangible outcomes.
Gen Z to the polls
Morocco’s youth movement GenZ 212 has pushed its demands into formal politics as Hamza El Kharroubi, 28, campaigns for a seat in parliament in Tetouan after founding the Environment and Sustainability Party. El Kharroubi told Al Jazeera English, “The previous protests by Gen Z have sparked more youth engagement in political parties,” and he said the campaign expects “exceptional participation from youth, both in voting and campaigning.” AThe nationwide demonstrations began on September 27, 2025, after anger over public healthcare, education, jobs and living conditions spread beyond earlier protests in Agadir.
The unrest followed the deaths of eight women after Caesarean deliveries at a public hospital in the southern city, which became a flashpoint for wider grievances over public services. GenZ 212 mobilised largely online through platforms including Discord, TikTok and Instagram, and at least three people were killed during the unrest in October 2025.
Turnout and seats
Morocco is set to hold parliamentary elections on Wednesday, September 23, with more than 15.8 million people registered to vote for all 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Al Jazeera English reported that only about four percent of registered voters are aged between 18 and 24, while people aged 60 and above make up more than 29 percent of the electorate. AMoroccans will head to polling stations on Wednesday, September 23, to elect members of the House of Representatives for a five-year term, with 27 political parties competing for 395 seats.
The campaign began on September 10 and runs until midnight on Tuesday, September 22, as parties seek to attract young voters with promises of jobs and affordable housing. Al Jazeera English added that the 2021 election turnout was just over 50 percent, and it framed the 2026 vote as a test because many young people who took to the streets remain disengaged from formal politics.A
Ceuta pressure and trust
Morocco’s youth discontent is also tied to the Ceuta migrant crisis, and the BBC said the elections come weeks after at least 70,000 people risked their lives in a failed attempt to cross into Europe via Ceuta. The BBC described the hardship as linked to economic difficulties, and it said the election is the first in Morocco after last year’s protests known in the media as the “Generation Z 212 Movement.” Hicham ArKshou, 28, told voters in Sale, near Rabat, “people to go to the polls and choose any party they deem appropriate,” while he hoped the next government would yield solutions to unemployment and purchasing power.
Zubida, 34, in Tangier said, “I don’t expect anything,” as she stressed she did not trust the promises made by the competing parties but wanted the next government to prioritize employment and housing. The BBC said the Justice and Development Party (PJD) is contesting the elections seeking to regain its electoral base after its parliamentary representation fell from 125 to 13 seats in the September 2021 elections, as youth unemployment and the gap between expectations and outcomes remain central issues.