Morocco is moving slowly towards a decisive turning point. It is not a noisy revolution nor a dazzling upheaval, but a sneaky, almost imperceptible phenomenon which takes hold and redraws the contours of our nation. Morocco’s great demographic leap, once a source of vitality, is experiencing its twilight. The figures don’t lie: our country, once young and vigorous, is seeing its growth rate slow dangerously. The alert is discreet, but it deserves to resonate in every mind aware of the challenges to come. With every moment that passes without action, we dig the furrow of a crisis whose depth is still unsuspected. And this is neither a science fiction scenario nor an alarmist speculation, but a reality confirmed by figures and trends.
Just a few weeks ago, the High Commission for Planning (HCP) confirmed it with chilling coldness: the population is still increasing, but it is a breath, a shadow of what it was. Between 1960 and 2000, the population growth rate reached peaks of 30% per decade. Today, it is stagnating at 9% and, even worse, annual growth has fallen below the symbolic 1% mark. This slowdown, far from being trivial, reveals the beginnings of a major crisis and conceals a societal tsunami. The birth rate, once flourishing with 7 children per woman in the 1960s, has fallen to less than 2. A development that is too often hailed as progress, without perceiving the specter of accelerated aging that it conceals.
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In this demographic transition, the family institution, the historical foundation of our society, is shaken. The size of households is collapsing: for the first time, it falls below the four-person threshold. Households welcoming several generations tend to disappear, taking with them a tradition of intergenerational solidarity. This modernity, far from being trivial, calls into question the very essence of our collective identity. And yet, behind this upheaval lies an even more brutal reality. Today’s Morocco is a young country, with more than 30% of its population under the age of 25. But this demographic dividend », this human wealth, could turn into a burden in the decades to come. By 2050, a quarter of the Moroccan population will be over 60 years old. An aging that does not bode well for a state already struggling with colossal social and economic challenges. This is the picture that emerges, cruel, implacable.
The consequences? An explosion in social costs, a retirement system on the verge of implosion, and a declining workforce in the face of an aging population. This dark, relentless picture is not inevitable, but it requires immediate awareness. Where are the visionary policies to counter this spiral? Where is the political courage to anticipate, prevent and act? These are the real questions.
-Encouraging a thoughtful and sustainable birth rate is a first step. Let’s support young families with concrete measures: tax incentives, accessible daycare centers, real parental leave. But that won’t be enough. Morocco must also rethink its education system to make it a tool for emancipation and adaptation to the challenges of tomorrow. It is not a question of producing graduates, but citizens capable of carrying out the aspirations of a nation.
Women, for their part, are the key to this renewal. Their full integration into the labor market is an economic and social necessity. By opening the doors to entrepreneurship and responsibility, we give them the power to transform not only their own destiny, but that of the entire country. We must also take up another challenge, just as essential: restoring confidence in our youth, the driving force of our nation. Our young people are our builders of tomorrow, but today they come up against walls: unemployment, inequalities, lack of prospects. Finally, the health and social emergency of aging can no longer wait. The State should build appropriate infrastructure, strengthen health services, and rethink our retirement systems so that they do not become an unbearable burden for future generations.
Silence in the face of this demographic crisis is an act of complicity, an abdication in the face of the future. There is still time to raise the bar, to reinvent the Moroccan model, to lay solid foundations for a fairer, more inclusive, and more resilient society. But every day that passes without action is one day too many. The alarm bells ring. Will we listen to his call, or will we remain spectators of a predicted shipwreck? What do we do in the face of this slow but certain erosion of our demographic balance? Faced with this threat, silence is not an option. It is imperative to rethink public policies with a long-term vision provided that those responsible have the courage to face reality.
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