The army and police gain the trust of Moroccans

A recent study by Afrobarometer, an organization recognized for its opinion surveys across Africa, highlights that Moroccans place great trust in certain institutions in their country. At the top of the list, the military institution inspires the confidence of 72% of respondents, followed by the police, which 67% of Moroccans trust. In third position, the Kingdom’s courts and judicial system enjoy the confidence of 61% of citizens.

However, this confidence is much more discreet for political institutions. Indeed, only a quarter of Moroccans say they have confidence in Parliament, indicating low support for this legislative institution. A similar trend is found with local councils, which are trusted by only 22% of the population. As for the majority parties and the government, they also have a confidence rate of 22% each.

Afrobarometer data also reveals a significant increase in Moroccans’ confidence in their judicial system. Between 2011 and 2023, this confidence increased by 27 percentage points, placing Morocco at the top of African countries in terms of growth in citizens’ confidence in their justice system. On the other hand, confidence in Parliament has only evolved marginally, with an increase limited to only two points during the same period.

This Afrobarometer study spans 39 African countries and establishes that on average, African citizens only trust three main institutions: religious leaders, who enjoy a trust rate of 61%, the army, and traditional leaders. Continentally, trust in Parliament saw a notable decline of 19 percentage points.

The study also highlights certain disparities: trust rates are generally higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Furthermore, poorer African citizens display increased distrust of state institutions, such as parliament, political parties and local councils, compared to wealthier citizens.

Finally, Afrobarometer observes that, in the majority of African countries, religious and traditional leaders enjoy greater trust than state institutions. The military institution remains the only public structure to enjoy the trust of the majority of African citizens, despite the massive rejection of a military government. Afrobarometer warns that this erosion of trust in institutions could gradually weaken their legitimacy on the continent.