As Morocco heads toward the 2026 electoral deadlines, the GenZ 212 protests that erupted last week could «reshape» the political debate. This is the assessment of the Atlantic Council in an analysis by researcher Sarah Zaaimi, who argues that this momentum could «recenter the government's priorities beyond the spectacle- and infrastructure-focused policies ahead of the 2030 World Cup». Drawing on Morocco's experience in crisis management, Zaaimi writes that the country will «likely absorb the current events and gradually return to normalcy». The analysis notes it is «unlikely» that this new social movement will «evolve into a more transformative revolution, as was the case in Nepal, it is still a pivotal moment for the country and a wake-up call». «It is clear that there is a deep rift between a digitally connected and politically critical generation and the current governing elites, and whose priorities focus on stones rather than humans», she added. In this context, Zaaimi emphasizes the importance of watching «for any ripple effect of these demonstrations in the larger Middle East and North Africa region, like what happened during the Arab Spring, when the wave of protests started in Tunisia and then spread across other Arab countries». She points out that Algeria is already preparing for demonstrations this Friday under the slogan #GenZ213.
