Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CASABLANCA44
2009-03-18 09:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Casablanca
Cable title:  

POLITICAL DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG MOROCCAN YOUTH

Tags:  PGOV SOCI MO 
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VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCL #0044 0770946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180946Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL CASABLANCA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8322
INFO RUCNMGH/MAGHREB COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000044 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI MO
SUBJECT: POLITICAL DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG MOROCCAN YOUTH

UNCLAS CASABLANCA 000044

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI MO
SUBJECT: POLITICAL DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG MOROCCAN YOUTH


1. (SBU)Summary: A series of conversations with university-educated
middle class Moroccan youth revealed negative and/or apathetic
opinions towards their country's politicians and the political
system in general. They reported that politicians were corrupt,
indifferent to the needs of the people, and solely interested in
serving their own interests. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Through a series of conversations and an informal survey
with predominately undergraduate English students (roughly 21-22
years old and equally mixed male and female) on politics at Dar
America and Bem Sik University, consulate general intern was able to
gauge the mood of Morocco's youth. By far the most common response
to questions about politics was apathy. Despite being queried for
their opinions on the government and the upcoming municipal
elections in June of 2009, the young interlocutors demonstrated
little interest in the subject. Most people described politics as
boring or politicians as useless at best and corrupt liars at worst,
and then proceeded to change the subject. Only one person among the
several dozen the intern spoke with said she had voted in the
parliamentary election of 2007. The lone voter, a 22 year old
English student at Bem Sik University, said she voted for the
Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD) out of a desire for
an alternative from the current political malaise.


3. (SBU) This apoliticism among students starkly contrasts with
their interest in international political events, such as the crisis
in Gaza and the election of President Obama of which most students
were quite aware and about which they were passionate. Dar America
events on the inauguration of President Obama drew large,
well-informed audiences. Questions about whether and for whom
Americans voted for were common. When asked to provide answers to
the same questions relative to Morocco, many students simply changed
the subject or gave rather negative evaluations such as saying that
Moroccan politicians are just "liars".


4. (SBU) Similarly, interest in "government" in general (as opposed
to simply political competition and elections) in the form of
government services was also near nonexistent aside from government
scholarships. When the intern was visiting Bem Sik, around twenty
students were protesting the lack of resources and the school
administration; however, it did not appear that these protests were
linked to any wider organized political activity such as voting or
volunteering for a political party.


5. (SBU) Comment: Overall, Moroccan students described a rather
distant political system which did not interest youth. The
students' attitudes may in part be ascribed to general cynicism and
disinterest in politics amongst youth which is not unique to
Morocco. There is little doubt that Moroccan political parties and
the government need to make greater strides to encourage youth
participation in civil society and politics.

Millard