Rabat — Morocco’s government has approved a new draft law that aims to draw more young people into politics by allowing them to run for parliament independently of political parties.
Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion Younes Sekkouri revealed the details of the initiative in a statement as a guest on a 2M program.
The law, approved by the Ministerial Council held recently, targets citizens under 35 years old.
“Young people who don’t want to run under party banners can now form independent youth lists to compete for seats in electoral districts,” Sekkouri explained. The candidates will only need to collect a limited number of signatures to support their lists.
The minister stressed that the initiative seeks to broaden political participation and inject fresh energy into electoral life, attributing it to a royal vision that balances encouragement with accountability, without clashing with traditional political parties.
Financial support for young candidates
The law includes significant financial incentives. Independent youth lists and parties that nominate candidates under 35 will receive funding that covers 75% of their campaign costs. Each young candidate can receive up to MAD 350,000 ($37,823).
Sekkouri clarified that the government will provide this support directly to young candidates, whether they run on party lists or independent ones.
However, the full text of the law will reveal the specific details about how candidates get their money — including whether they receive it as an advance or after election results come out.
The minister positioned the reform as a way to modernize Morocco’s political landscape while respecting the existing party system.
By lowering barriers to entry and providing substantial financial backing, the government says it hopes to see more young voices in parliament and greater engagement from a demographic that has traditionally remained on the sidelines of formal politics.
