Morocco’s Marriage Crisis: Divorces Surge as Weddings Plummet, Reshaping Society and Economy

One in four marriages ends in divorce and one in three in the major cities of the kingdom, according to the updated data from the Ministry of Justice. A trend that reflects the profound social changes in the perception of marriage by men and women. Several sectors are affected by this decline in marriages, including event organizers, caterers, photographers, designers and owners of reception halls, not to mention beauty salons (makeup, hairstyling, skincare), etc. The real estate market is not spared by this change. The demand for housing for new families has dropped considerably.

Furthermore, the decline in birth rates induced by the decline in the number of marriages has had perverse effects on other sectors, such as preschool education, pediatrics and the baby products industry. The job market is also affected, as more and more Moroccan women are seeking to achieve their financial and professional independence rather than getting married. The same trend is observed among men who are less and less interested in marriage, preferring to keep their freedom.