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 (57%). Seventy-six per cent feel their country has good relations with the EU, and 65% 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 eight southern Mediterranean partner countries – was conducted in Morocco from June to July 2020, with 1,034 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, including in supporting their country’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. 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, 76% said they were good, compared to an average of 59% in the Maghreb (67% Mashrek). Seventy-one per cent of those asked felt the EU had a positive influence on the development of Morocco (54% Maghreb average), while 65% of Moroccans who knew that the EU provided financial support to Morocco felt it was effective.

Three-quarters (76%) of Moroccans see the EU as an important partner, with which their country shares sufficient common values to cooperate (76%).

In more general terms, 57% of those asked had a positive image of the EU, compared to the Maghreb average of 45% (47% in the Mashrek). As in other countries of the region, the values most frequently associated with the EU were equality, human rights and gender equality, 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 (37%) and trade (35%) in their country. They are keen for the EU to play an even greater role in the areas of trade (84%), health (also 84%) and migration (83%). When asked about the support provided by the EU to their country during the Coronavirus pandemic, citizens in Morocco answered that it had been effective (76%).

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 three per cent believe it to be very to fairly negative. Television is followed by radio (58% positive, 25% neutral, 7% negative) and websites (57% positive, 20% neutral, 11% negative).

Moroccans are generally satisfied with their lives (54%, below the regional average of 60%), but are slightly less optimistic for the next 12 months, with only 43% expecting their life in general to be better (against 19% worse) and 48% think that the current economic situation in the country is good against 51% 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.