Rabat: Young contenders under the age of 35 are poised to benefit from substantial financial support from the Moroccan state to fund their electoral campaigns in local constituencies. The State’s contribution can cover up to 75% of total campaign expenses for both party-affiliated and independent candidates, with a ceiling of MAD 500,000 per candidate.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the financial support, subject to the requirement that candidate lists alternate between men and women, can only be disbursed after the campaign accounts have been reviewed and approved by the Court of Auditors. Aside from financial aid, the electoral system seeks to simplify the requirements for submitting candidate lists by young people without party affiliation, in order to encourage their participation in national political and electoral life. In doing so, signatures from elected officials will no longer be required, and candidates will only need signatures from voters.

Additionally, Moroccans under the age of 35 m
ust account for at least one-fifth of a political party’s founding members, meaning at least 400 young people among the 2,000 founding members required by law. These measures reflect the political will to strengthen the representation of young people within political parties and encourage parties to integrate them as voices for youth in Parliament.

The initiative is part of broader national strategies aimed at empowering young people to play a leading role in building a more democratic and modern Morocco. The measures will also serve as a force for proposing and advocating policies and strategies that respond to the needs and aspirations of this segment of society.