Morocco PM urges dialogue as youth protests escalate nationwide

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Oct 2025 23:37

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch calls for dialogue after youth-led protests over education and healthcare escalate into unrest, with hundreds injured.

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A boy is detained as youth-led protests calling for healthcare and education reforms turned violent, in Sale, Morocco, Wednesday, October 1, 2025 (AP)

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said on Thursday that his government is “open to dialogue to end youth protests” as security forces prepared for a sixth consecutive night of demonstrations that have escalated into unrest across the country.

“Dialogue is the only path,” Akhannouch said in a statement, adding that the government has “engaged with the demands expressed by youth movements” and remains ready for “discussion and negotiation.” He reiterated that “dialogue is the only way to confront the various challenges facing our country.”

The protests began with demands for improved education and healthcare, organized by a youth group calling itself “Gen Z 212” using digital platforms. The group condemned the violence in a statement cited by Reuters and called for “new peaceful protests in major cities,” urging participants to remain disciplined and ensure the nonviolent nature of their actions. Demonstrations were planned for Thursday evening in several urban centers.

Interior Ministry reports high number of minors in clashes

A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said that 70% of those involved in rioting and clashes with security forces nationwide were minors. By Thursday, the number of injured had risen to 640, including 589 members of the security forces, according to the ministry. Authorities also reported damage to 413 police vehicles and 195 private cars.

The spokesperson added that “adults have been held in police custody, while minors have been placed under protective measures.” He stressed that authorities “will take all necessary legal measures, without hesitation or leniency, against anyone proven to be involved in criminal acts.”

The protests, which began with calls for education and healthcare reform, have become one of the most significant expressions of youth-led dissent in Morocco in recent years.

Protests turn deadly

Two people were killed and several others were injured in Lqliaa near Agadir late Wednesday after Moroccan security forces used live ammunition on protesters.

Moroccan authorities claim police opened fire in an attempt to stop a group of people attempting to seize weapons from a gendarmerie facility.

The incident marks the most violent escalation yet in the anti-government protests that began last weekend with calls for social justice reforms led by a youth group called GenZ 212.

Local authorities further claimed that security forces fired live rounds in self-defense after tear gas failed to deter the group, which was armed with knives and set fire to part of the security compound and a vehicle.

Officials did not specify the exact number of injuries.

What is GenZ212?

GenZ212 is a youth group that is “driven by young people demanding change,” the group's website says.

“This movement is calling for immediate reforms in the country's healthcare, education, and job sectors, which have long been neglected by the government,” a descriptive statement on the website's home page explains.

Citing the Moroccan government's focus on major infrastructural projects and negligence of basic needs, the group asserts that the voice of the youth feels forgotten by their leaders.

The protests have sparked a slogan that has become synonymous with the GenZ212 cause: "Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?" in a reference to state funds being allocated to stadiums in preparation for the 2030 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.

Root causes and arrests

The latest wave of anger was sparked by outrage over poor hospital conditions in Agadir, where several women reportedly died due to a lack of care, before rapidly spreading to other cities through youth-led online organizing.

Authorities said 409 people have been detained so far, with 193 facing trial, most on bail, on charges including arson, looting, and attacking security forces.

Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 35.8% and graduate unemployment at 19%, according to national statistics. While the country has witnessed repeated peaceful protests over economic and social grievances, this week’s violence is the worst since the 2016–2017 demonstrations in the northern Rif region.