An Atmosphere of an End of Reign in Morocco

Morocco is going through a period of implicit transition surrounding King Mohammed VI. Two contrasting images have recently fueled speculation about the monarch’s health. On one hand, the king appeared visibly weakened during Eid prayers in Tetouan, unable to kneel because of an injury. On the other, only weeks later, a video circulated showing him riding a jet ski off the coast of Cabo Negro, seemingly energetic and fully in control. This contrast between fragility and displays of vitality has intensified questions about a possible succession, even though the royal palace officially denies that any transition is underway.

For several years, attention has increasingly focused on Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, now 23 years old. Educated at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, he has steadily multiplied his public appearances and symbolic gestures of authority. His meeting with Xi Jinping in 2024, along with his prominent role during the 2025–2026 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco, have been interpreted as signs that he is being prepared for the throne. However, the palace remains careful not to create the impression that power is already being transferred. The prince is introduced cautiously, as though the regime wants to prepare the future without suggesting that the king has already stepped aside.

This situation has created a sense of political uncertainty. Despite official statements emphasizing the king’s continued activity, Mohammed VI’s repeated absences and frequent stays abroad reinforce the perception of a ruler increasingly weary of governing. Since the mid-2000s, observers have often commented on his distant relationship with royal duties. His long stays in Paris, Dubai, or Zanzibar have frequently been interpreted less as signs of illness than as evidence of personal exhaustion and detachment from power.

The article also highlights the controversial influence of the Azaitar brothers, close companions of the king since 2018. These Moroccan-origin MMA fighters became a source of concern for parts of the Moroccan elite because of their apparent influence over access to the monarch. Their lavish lifestyle and conspicuous presence on social media drew criticism and eventually became an international embarrassment after a 2023 investigation by The Economist. Since then, the palace appears to have tried to regain control over the royal image by emphasizing the traditional royal family instead.

In this context, the gradual return of Lalla Salma to public life is another important development. After disappearing from official imagery following her divorce from the king in 2018, she has slowly reappeared alongside her children, especially during the Africa Cup of Nations and public outings. Her rehabilitation seems closely tied to the growing importance of Crown Prince Hassan and the influence she could wield during his future reign.

At the same time, Morocco faces deep social and economic tensions: youth unemployment, regional inequality, water scarcity, and rising living costs. Public frustration has increasingly focused on Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who has become the main target of social discontent. Youth-led protests, largely organized through social media and Discord, have denounced the deterioration of public services and widening inequalities in a country investing heavily in international infrastructure projects and prestige developments.

Despite these tensions, the monarchy itself remains largely shielded from direct criticism. The king continues to enjoy strong popularity among much of the population, protected by the sacred status of the monarchy and by a growing sense of national pride. Morocco’s political system appears capable of absorbing social pressures by directing blame toward secondary political figures while preserving the authority of the crown.

Ultimately, the article portrays a unique kind of “end of reign”: not an open regime crisis, but rather a period of uncertainty, internal power struggles, and gradual repositioning around an eventual succession. Beneath the carefully staged displays of royal stability and Morocco’s international ambitions remain unresolved structural problems: social inequality, concentration of wealth, the growing influence of oligarchs, and hesitant governance. Mohammed VI’s reign is therefore depicted as that of an incomplete modernizer whose legacy remains deeply ambivalent.

With Le Monde

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