In recent weeks, Morocco has witnessed an unprecedented escalation in popular protests led by youth, students, unions, and youth organizations, denouncing the deterioration of living conditions and the erosion of social rights. The ever-rising prices of food and basic goods, the crisis of public education and health, and the spread of unemployment have fueled a wave of anger across the country. Demonstrators demand urgent measures to guarantee the right to education, free and quality health care, dignified work, and respect for political and union freedoms.
In this context, the streets of Morocco witnessed calls for protests and demonstrations on Saturday, September 27, 2025, denouncing the deteriorating conditions and the authorities’ failure to respond to popular demands. The protests were met by security forces with repression and violence, further inflaming the situation and causing the demonstrations to spread with greater intensity. Arbitrary arrests, excessive violence, and lack of communication indicate that the Moroccan authorities have no solution to the current situation, relying instead on violence in the hope that the protests will subside.
The protesters denounced the authorities’ inability to set priorities: at a time when budgets were needed for serving citizens health, education, and employment, billions were spent on organizing sporting events such as the World Cup, accompanied by land expropriations that displaced families, and budgets diverted to secondary matters.
The authorities being able to complete a stadium meeting all international standards in a single year, yet for decades having been unable to build hospitals that meet basic requirements of human dignity, demonstrates both the incompetence and disregard for the lives of Moroccan citizens.
The protesters’ demands go beyond the immediate social crisis. They have outlined a platform that includes:
- Education: defend the right to free, quality public education; stop privatization and guarantee autonomy of universities.
- Health: strengthen public health services, ensure free access to hospitals and medicines, and halt the dismantling of public hospitals.
- Employment: create dignified jobs for youth and graduates; end precarious contracts and mass unemployment.
- Cost of Living: reduce prices of food, transport, and energy; control speculation and protect workers’ and peasants’ purchasing power.
- Social Justice: invest in marginalized rural and working-class regions; guarantee equality and social protection for all.
- Freedoms: respect union, political, and student freedoms; release all detained activists and end repression.
Many student and union organizations have also denounced restrictions on freedoms, affirming that the wave of arrests proves the regime’s intention to silence voices of opposition instead of responding to legitimate demands.
“The democratic and progressive youth and factions affirm that this approach is part of the broader policies of the Makhzen regime, which aim to dismantle public services and suppress democratic movements. In the face of this imminent threat, they call on all young men and women and all living progressive forces to participate actively and massively in the struggle, in defense of public education, health, the right to a dignified life, and union and political freedoms,” stated the communiqué of the progressive parties and youth organizations.
We, as the International Peoples’ Assembly, express our full solidarity with the struggles and demands of the Moroccan people, while simultaneously condemning the violence used against the legitimate popular protests.
