Citizens Express Their Priorities: Moroccan Citizens’ Views and Preferences Ahead of the 2016 Parliamentary Elections

Through its USAID-funded program to empower and support political parties, NDI conducted 24 focus groups in six regions of Morocco to gauge citizens’ priorities and preferences in the months leading up to the October 2016 legislative elections. Focus group participants highlighted employment, education, and healthcare as their three top concerns, underlining the need for parties to address these issues in their campaigns. NDI also observed that participants were largely open to voting for women and youth candidates, with a number of participants expressing a desire for more women to run. As Morocco prepares for the upcoming parliamentary elections, parties will need to ensure their campaign strategies, electoral platforms, and selected candidates reflect and take into account these evolving demands from citizens.