Moroccans have a positive view of the EU, opinion poll finds

More than half of all Moroccans have a positive image of the European Union. Seventy-five per cent feel their country has good relations with the EU, and 61% of Moroccans who knew that the EU provided financial support to their country believe it was effective – just some of the findings of the latest annual opinion poll in Morocco, published by the EU Neighbours South project.

The survey – part of a wave of opinion polls carried out in seven southern Mediterranean partner countries – was conducted in Morocco from July-August 2019, with 1,031 people consulted in face-to-face interviews. Respondents were asked about their general perceptions of the EU and the values with which it is associated, about EU relations with their country, and the impact of EU financial support. The surveys also look at preferred sources of information, how people feel about their personal situation and the situation in their country, and their expectations for the future.

Asked to describe Morocco’s relations with the EU, 75% said they were good, compared to an average of 63% in the Maghreb (67% Mashrek). Seventy-one per cent of those asked felt the EU had a positive influence on the development of Morocco (52% Maghreb average), while 61% of Moroccans who knew that the EU provided financial support to Morocco felt it was effective.

Two-thirds (66%) of Moroccans see the EU as an important partner, with which their country shares sufficient common values to cooperate (63%).

In more general terms, 57% of those asked had a positive image of the EU, compared to the Maghreb average of 46% (50% in the Mashrek). As in other countries of the region, the values most frequently associated with the EU were gender equality, individual freedom and freedom of speech, while those least associated with the EU were absence of corruption and freedom of religion.

Moroccans feel EU support has contributed the most to tourism (35%) and trade (32%) in their country. They are keen for the EU to play an even greater role in the areas of trade (73%), human rights (72%) and migration (69%).

In general, Moroccans think that the European Union’s image in their national media is positive. On television, eighty-one per cent of them believe that the image is very to fairly positive, while only five per cent believe it to be very to fairly negative. Television is followed by websites (57% positive, 22% neutral, 10% negative) and printed press (53% positive, 24% neutral, 11% negative).

Moroccans are generally satisfied with their lives (73%, above the regional average of 71%), but are slightly less optimistic for the next 12 months, with only 42% expecting their life in general to be better (against 24% worse) and 62% think that the current economic situation in the country is good against 36% who think that it is bad.

The EU Neighbours South regional overview report and factsheets are available here.

To find out more about EU – Morocco cooperation and partnership, go here. 

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