Why Morocco, one of the most stable countries in North Africa, faces new protests

With a model of quick but limited political concessions to protesters, Morocco largely avoided the political instability of the 2011 Arab Spring which has continued to have repercussions throughout the Middle East and North African region.

Since then, Morocco has faced other protests and successfully used a similar strategy of limited reforms to maintain stability. While tactics of modest political reform worked in the past, the resurgence of protests over the sentencing of activists involved in demonstrations last year shows that citizens are demanding more. Morocco’s existing path to stability, built on modest and gradual reforms, might not be enough.