Morocco’s Divorce Revolution: 97% Choose Mutual Consent

In Morocco, there are fewer and fewer judicial dissolutions of marriage (taṭlîq) than cases of divorce (ṭalâq) by mutual consent. In 2024, Moroccan courts recorded 40,214 divorce cases, compared to 40,028 the previous year, an increase of 0.5%, according to the CSPJ report. At the same time, the number of judgments rendered decreased by 4.2%, from 42,546 to 40,771. The cases returned after an attempt at conciliation also decreased by 5.7%.

The figures speak for themselves: 96.83% of the divorces recorded in 2024 are divorces by mutual consent, or 38,858 cases out of 40,214. For other forms of divorce, there are 1,217 divorces before the consummation of the marriage (+12.9%), 45 revocable divorces (-37%). These data show that Moroccan couples are increasingly opting for an amicable divorce, with the support of the justice system.

In 2024, 107,681 cases of judicial dissolution of marriage (taṭlîq) were recorded, compared to 111,140 in 2023, a decrease of 3.1%. Taṭlîq for discord (chiqâq) alone accounts for 97.4% of these cases. In total, adding divorces and taṭlîq, Morocco recorded 147,895 cases of marital breakdown in 2024, compared to 151,168 in 2023, of which 73% were taṭlîq, or three times more than the classic divorce, which represents only 27.2% of the cases.

Despite this preference for amicable settlement, some difficulties persist, notes the CSPJ, citing obstacles related to notification and appearance procedures, particularly in cases of taṭlîq for absence or refusal to resume cohabitation. These procedural problems lengthen the time it takes to render judgments, even though the digitization of the judicial administration is underway. According to the Council, the trend towards amicable settlement will continue, driven by the development of conciliation and mediation in Moroccan family justice.