Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party Leads in Provisional Election Results
The party secured the most seats in the parliamentary election, while a moderate Islamist party saw a significant resurgence.
Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has emerged as the leading party in the country's parliamentary elections, according to provisional results announced early Thursday by the Interior Ministry. The election saw major losses for the outgoing governing National Assembly of Independents (RNI) and a notable comeback for a moderate Islamist party.
Moroccans cast their votes on Wednesday amid widespread public frustration over youth unemployment, demanding improvements in education, healthcare, and housing. PAM secured 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. The Independents followed with 66 seats, and the Istiqlal Party won 65. The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which had a modest showing in 2021 with 13 seats, surged to 54 seats in this election.
Both PAM and Istiqlal were part of the parliamentary majority in the outgoing government led by the Independents. PAM, founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close associate of King Mohammed VI, has been viewed as a political force intended to balance the influence of the PJD, which previously led the government for a decade.
Voter turnout for the election was 38%, marking the lowest participation rate since 2007. The vote follows a period of significant social unrest, including youth-led protests and a deadly attempt by migrants to cross into the Spanish territory of Ceuta. The election determines the next prime minister and the composition of the government, which will operate under the broad authority of the monarchy in strategic affairs.
The incoming government will be tasked with overseeing substantial investments as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup. Key challenges will include addressing unemployment, wages, and the cost of living. The Moroccan constitution mandates that the king appoints the prime minister from the party that wins the most legislative seats. Given that no single party is expected to secure an outright majority, coalition-building will be essential. While portfolios are typically shared among political allies, the palace historically retains control over critical sectors such as defense and foreign affairs.
Potential candidates for prime minister include Faouzi Lakjaa, president of Morocco's soccer federation and a recent PAM party member, whose profile has been raised by the national team's soccer achievements. Fatima-Zahra Mansouri, the mayor of Marrakech and minister of urban planning, is another possibility; if selected, she would become Morocco's first female prime minister.