In a striking move to address rising youth discontent, Morocco’s government has taken to the pulpit to deliver a unified message across the nation’s mosques. On Friday, imams in over 53,000 mosques, including one in Rabat, delivered a government-written sermon urging parents to involve their children in public affairs. The sermon, broadcast live on public television, emphasized the importance of civic participation, national loyalty, and the role of youth in shaping Morocco’s future. This initiative comes in the wake of widespread protests led by the Gen Z 212 movement, which has been demanding better social and economic conditions and accountability from the government. The protests, organized via social media platforms like Discord, have been marked by acts of vandalism, arrests, and even fatalities. While the sermon did not directly address the protests, it was widely interpreted as an attempt by the government to engage with the youth and steer them toward constructive dialogue. Critics, however, argue that the state’s control over sermon content turns mosques into tools for promoting government policies. In response to the unrest, the government has announced new measures, including a draft bill to simplify election candidacy requirements for individuals under 35 and a record $15 billion allocation for health and education in the 2026 budget. Despite these promises, weekend protests saw lower-than-expected turnout, with only dozens attending a gathering in Casablanca. Analysts like Dr. Driss El Ganbouri suggest that while sermons can influence public opinion, they must be backed by tangible actions to gain the trust of the younger generation.
Sermons urge youth to take part in public affairs in Morocco after wave of protests
