THE 2026 ELECTIONS IN AFRICA: Youth Participation, Inclusive Governance, and Generational Issues

Nouzha Chekrouni

No 2624, Policy briefs on Economic Trends and Policies from Policy Center for the New South

Abstract: Globally, public policies for youth face a twofold challenge: addressing structural socioeconomic challenges—such as unemployment, precariousness, and regional disparities—while accommodating a growing demand for effective civic participation. (ILO, 2023; United Nations, 2020) In Africa, this challenge takes on a unique dimension given the demographic weight of the youth population and the persistent fragility of local democracies. (AfDB, 2020; Mo Ibrahim Foundation, 2023) Elections are one of the barometers of democracy, and the year 2026 marks a turning point. With several simultaneous legislative elections taking place across the continent—including Morocco’s legislative elections on September 23—the issue of youth participation in decision-making processes has taken on renewed urgency. Compounding this electoral context is an unprecedented structural transformation: artificial intelligence is reshaping labor markets, civic spaces, and the dynamics of governance that young people will have to navigate in the coming decade. (Africa Center for Strategic Studies, 2026) This Policy Brief traces the path from the general to the specific: from global issues to African-specific contexts, and on to the Moroccan experience. A common thread runs through the entire analysis: the risk of perpetuating existing inequalities—gender, spatial, and territorial—in the design and implementation of youth policies. This risk is systemic, not residual. (Kabeer, 1999; Moser, 1993)

Date: 2026-06
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