Independence Day 2026 — Morocco

Moroccan Independence Day: history and significance

November 18 is one of Morocco's most solemn national holidays. It commemorates the triumphant return of Sultan Mohammed V to Morocco after his exile, on November 18, 1955, marking the official beginning of the Moroccan independence era.

The Sultan's return: a historic day

Exiled first to Réunion then to Madagascar since August 1953 by the French colonial authorities, Sultan Mohammed V landed at Rabat-Salé airport on November 16, 1955, to scenes of unprecedented popular jubilation. Hundreds of thousands of Moroccans lined the route to welcome back the living symbol of their national independence.

• November 16, 1955: Sultan lands at Rabat-Salé airport
• November 18, 1955: Sultan delivers speech proclaiming imminent independence
• March 2, 1956: official proclamation of Moroccan independence from France
• April 7, 1956: end of the Spanish Protectorate (northern Morocco)

Independence: a step-by-step process

Moroccan independence was the result of a long process: the Independence Manifesto (1944), French repression, the Sultan's exile (1953), armed resistance, and finally the La Celle-Saint-Cloud negotiations (late 1955) that led to the Sultan's return and French recognition of independence.

Independence Day 2026, 2027, 2028

• 2026: Wednesday November 18
• 2027: Thursday November 18 — potential bridge on Friday 19
• 2028: Saturday November 18 — 3-day weekend