Morocco emerges as a leader in democracy support, yet openness to alternatives rises
Morocco stands out in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as a stronghold of parliamentary democracy, with 68% of Moroccans favoring this system, according to a new report by the Arab Barometer. This figure, the highest in the region, highlights Morocco’s commitment to pluralism and democratic governance.
The report, titled “Political System Preference in the Middle East & North Africa,” was authored by Michael Robbins of Princeton University and is based on survey data collected in 2023-2024 during the Arab Barometer’s Wave VIII. While most MENA countries have seen a decline in support for democracy since the Arab uprisings of 2011, Morocco remains an outlier, maintaining robust backing for democratic institutions.
Morocco and the MENA region: contrasting trends
The survey analyzed preferences for four political systems across seven countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Mauritania, and Palestine. Morocco’s support for parliamentary democracy far surpasses other systems, with only 23% favoring authoritarian strongman rule and 40% supporting governance under Islamic law without elections or political parties.
In contrast, Tunisia, Iraq, and Lebanon have experienced sharp declines in democratic support. For instance, Tunisia’s support for parliamentary democracy has dropped by 28 percentage points since 2012-2014, while Iraq saw a 34-point decline over the same period. Today, support for democratic systems in these countries hovers below 50%.
Notably, Morocco has also seen a rise in support for non-democratic alternatives like “benevolent dictatorship,” which climbed 26 percentage points since 2016 to reach 39%. This trend reflects growing openness to systems that prioritize delivering tangible results over political participation.
The democracy-dignity paradox
The Arab Barometer report highlights a critical regional insight: MENA citizens often define democracy not by electoral processes but by outcomes related to dignity (karama). For many, democracy is synonymous with reforms that ensure civil rights, political equality, personal safety, and access to basic necessities. This focus on outcomes explains why citizens may simultaneously support democracy while being open to authoritarian systems that promise effective governance.
In Morocco, only 47% of respondents agreed that a leader who disregards rules to achieve progress is necessary, a significantly lower figure compared to Iraq (88%) or Tunisia (77%). This suggests that while Moroccans value forward progress, they remain cautious about trading democratic norms for expediency.
Generational shifts and future outlook
Youth perspectives offer additional nuance. In Tunisia, only 31% of citizens aged 18-29 support parliamentary democracy, a figure ten points lower than those who came of age before the 2011 Jasmine Revolution. However, younger generations in the region tend to be less supportive of authoritarian governance compared to their older counterparts.
The report concludes with a sobering reflection: MENA publics are unlikely to unite behind a single political system. Frustration with authoritarian regimes that failed to deliver on promises sparked the 2011 Arab uprisings, yet democratic experiments in Tunisia and Egypt have similarly fallen short. As citizens continue to seek dignity and effective governance, the region faces an uncertain political future.
