Moroccan Manipulation: Despite Its Clinical Death, the Makhzen Cannot Forget Algeria
Calls to protest in Algeria on Friday, October 3, announced by a group calling itself “GenZ 213” and widely amplified by certain Moroccan media outlets as well as the group “GenZ 212,” are not merely social demands. They are part of a political strategy designed to project Morocco’s internal tensions outward and weaken Algeria’s national cohesion.
Morocco is facing a deep social crisis. Weekly demonstrations by young people, rising poverty, and opposition to political choices bear witness to this. In many cities, protesters chant slogans reflecting widespread discontent: “No World Cup without hospitals!”, “Bread, not stadiums!”, “Social justice before football!”, “Schools and healthcare for our children, not billions for FIFA!” These voices directly reject the Makhzen’s prestige policy, which banks on hosting the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations as an international showcase, while the population demands essential services. The sharp contrast between colossal sports infrastructure investments and the daily hardships of ordinary citizens underscores an undeniable reality.
In working-class neighborhoods, many families struggle to provide even one complete meal per day, while public schools suffer from a severe lack of resources, overcrowded classrooms, and alarming dropout rates. Youth unemployment remains high, fueling exclusion and injustice. The healthcare sector is equally strained, with glaring inequalities, a shortage of beds and staff, and reliance on costly private clinics beyond the reach of most. Last week, eight women died in a maternity ward waiting for a cesarean section—a tragedy that illustrates the collapse of Morocco’s public healthcare system. Combined with soaring prices, limited opportunities, and public rejection of the Abraham Accords—further deepened by massacres in Gaza—these grievances have widened internal fractures.
Rather than address these structural difficulties, Moroccan media channels are attempting to deflect attention by projecting instability onto Algeria. By artificially amplifying calls without real grassroots support, they seek to suggest that the same scenario could unfold in Algiers.
Algeria’s Strong Social State
The comparison is misleading. Unlike its neighbor, Algeria is built on a social state model that, despite challenges, continues to guarantee robust safety nets: widespread subsidies, family assistance, and free access to healthcare and education. These mechanisms form a foundation of social justice that shields the most vulnerable and reduces poverty. Algeria ranks among the continent’s most advanced nations in terms of human development.
This year’s school reopening saw more than 12 million students return to classrooms, all benefiting from mandatory free meals and free textbooks—a symbol of equitable redistribution. Algeria has also launched an ambitious strategy for innovation and start-ups, including a national fund, incubators, tax incentives, and a modernized legal framework recognizing start-up status. Young talents are increasingly finding opportunities to contribute to economic diversification.
Healthcare remains universal and free, with an expanding hospital network and full coverage of serious illnesses. Ambitious social housing programs have provided millions of families with decent homes, reinforcing social stability. Far from being a façade, Algeria’s social state is a concrete bulwark against marginalization and poverty, ensuring cohesion and distinguishing it from Morocco, where inequalities deepen and wealth remains concentrated in the hands of a few.
Imported and Dangerous Themes
The manipulation goes beyond social grievances. Networks inject foreign societal themes alien to Maghreb values, aimed at blurring cultural reference points and distracting youth from genuine issues. A striking example is the “GenZ” collective’s appropriation of the Japanese manga One Piece—a production unrelated to the Maghreb—turned into an emblem of its slogans. This calculated choice seeks to lure young people with playful references while masking political agendas. It represents a form of cultural colonization designed to weaken Maghreb youth identity, cut them off from historical and spiritual roots, and impose imported models.
Beneath the veneer of pacifist ideals lies a project of identity disarmament targeting Algeria’s cohesion. With such manipulations, Morocco and its regional allies are attempting desperate actions to destabilize Algeria and Tunisia—the Maghreb’s most stable countries. This offensive does not fool anyone; it is a bid to compensate for the Makhzen’s internal fragility by undermining its neighbors.
Algeria is aware of its own challenges and addresses them through its institutions, social model, and national unity. The calls circulated from abroad, like those announced for October 3, are not spontaneous movements but imported destabilization attempts. Behind the slogans and hashtags lies a clear strategy of fragmentation. The answer lies in vigilance, unity, and the continued strengthening of Algeria’s social model.
The Makhzen would be mistaken to mistake its illusions for reality: Algeria is not Morocco. It has the political, social, and historical resources to safeguard its cohesion against any foreign interference.
