As Moroccans prepare to vote, what are the key challenges?

About 18 million people head to the polls on Wednesday to choose new members of parliament and regional councils.

People in Morocco will cast their ballots on Wednesday amid an economic crisis deepened by the coronavirus pandemic and a sense of frustration over the lack of political reform promised a decade ago. About 18 million people are expected to vote in the pivotal legislative and regional elections, the third since the Arab Spring, while following strict safety guidelines imposed due to COVID. Candidates are campaigning on the streets in small groups and have intensified their efforts on social media as the North African country grapples with a new wave of infections driven mainly by the Delta variant.