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Join on Telegram Rabat – Only one-third of Moroccans hold a positive view of their country’s economic situation, according to a recent survey by the Arab Barometer.
Conducted from December 2023 to January 2024, the survey attributes Moroccans’ low confidence in the national economy to the enduring financial pressures four years after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
The survey, which included 2,411 randomly selected citizens from across Morocco’s regions, found that just 33% of respondents rated the Moroccan economy as very good or good.
The figure remains unchanged from 2022 and represents a significant decline from 2016, when 66% of Moroccans viewed the economy positively.
In addition, the survey results illuminate stark disparities in economic perceptions based on socioeconomic status (SES) and education. More than half (51%) of Moroccans who can cover their expenses view the economy favorably, compared to only 18% of those who struggle financially.
Education further widens this gap, with 47% of college-educated individuals rating the economy positively, compared to 28% of those with less education.
Despite current economic dissatisfaction, Moroccans exhibit a notable increase in optimism about the future. Approximately half of the respondents believe the economy will improve, with 14% expecting it to be much better and 35% somewhat better in the coming years.
Read also: Morocco’s Economy Grew by 4.1% in Fourth Quarter of 2023
The optimism is up seven points from 2022 and 19 points from 2018. However, this hopeful outlook is more prevalent among those who are financially stable at 64% compared to those who are not at 38%.
Economic inequality remains a key concern, with 39% of Moroccans feeling that the wealth gap has widened since last year. The perception is particularly pronounced among those who cannot cover their expenses at 49%, compared to their better-off counterparts at 25%.
Food insecurity has also surged alarmingly, with nearly two-thirds (63%) of Moroccans reporting that they ran out of food and lacked the money to buy more in the past 30 days.
This is a dramatic increase from 36% in 2022. More than half of the respondents (57%) identified food availability as a significant problem, while 59% were concerned about food affordability.
Moroccans attribute their economic hardships to a combination of domestic and global factors. Of the surveyed, 28% cited government mismanagement as the main factor, while 17% cited inflation and only 8% pointed the finger to wealth inequality .
In addition, 16% of respondents attributed food insecurity to global issues like climate change, and 12% say it’s due to the war in Ukraine.
Finally, Moroccans are also divided in their assessments of government actions to address economic issues. Less than 30% believe the government should focus on limiting inflation, while 20% prioritize job creation and 14% advocate for education reform.
