Current Landscape of the Socialist Union Party
The Socialist Union Party finds itself at a crucial juncture as it embarks on its electoral campaign for the legislative elections scheduled for September 23. This phase is marked not only by electoral stakes but also by the outcomes of the preparatory period leading up to these elections. Prior to this pivotal moment, the party has experienced a wave of resignations and political migrations involving several leaders and prominent figures within its ranks. These departures have been particularly notable as some left-leaning individuals have opted to join other political parties, highlighting a significant decline in the party's ability to retain its status at the forefront of Morocco's leftist movement. The situation reflects a concerning trend for the Socialist Union, which has historically been a mainstay of the Moroccan left.
Despite the party leadership presenting their list of candidates as a representation of renewal and openness to new talents, a closer examination of the presented names alongside those who have departed reveals a more complex picture. The Socialist Union, once a key player in Moroccan politics for decades, now seems less capable of retaining influential figures who have accrued valuable organizational and activist experience within its framework. This has prompted many leftist individuals to seek political opportunities elsewhere, either within the new left coalition or rival parties.
Notable Departures and Internal Struggles
The case of Abdelhadi Kharat is emblematic of this shift. A historical leader and a prominent figure linked to the party's legacy, Kharat decided to join the Progress and Socialism Party in February after a prolonged estrangement from the Socialist Union. His departure underscores the depth of the rift between him and the party leadership, particularly with the First Secretary, Idriss Lachgar. Kharat publicly stated in an interview that his decision was the result of extensive political discussions, ultimately leading him to conclude that continuing within the Socialist Union was untenable.
The signs of attrition are not confined to historical symbols. Recently, a series of resignations related to the management of candidacies and electoral lists have emerged. The Socialist Union's Political Bureau accepted the resignation of Rajae Boukali Tahiri and noted Meryem Jamal El Idrissi's decision to leave the party amidst debates over the selection process for regional candidacies. While the party asserts that these processes adhered to its internal regulations, the individuals involved have offered differing interpretations of how these rules and standards were implemented.
This narrative deepened further with the resignation of Salwa Damanati, a former member of the Political Bureau and current parliamentarian, who announced her departure from the party and its organizational structures on August 31. Her criticism targeted the decision-making methodologies and organizational choices of the party. Additionally, the exit of Ammar Hamza, the former regional secretary for the Socialist Union in Ouezzane, to the Authenticity and Modernity Party, accompanied by several party members, was formally announced in late August. This departure is significant given Hamza's prior organizational role within the party and its timing as parties prepare to reshape their local frameworks ahead of the elections.
The challenges facing the Socialist Union extend beyond mere loss of names; they raise deeper questions regarding the party's position within the broader landscape of the Moroccan left. The striking paradox of the 2026 elections is that discussions about the future of the left no longer center on the Socialist Union's ability to lead this movement. Instead, they focus on the potential emergence of new centers of attraction that could compete for left-leaning talents and figures.
In this context, the establishment of the "Left Alliance" between the Unified Socialist Party and the Democratic Left Federation on June 3 provides a new political framework aiming to unite parts of the leftist diaspora and present a joint electoral project. The two parties have made it clear that this is not merely a temporary electoral coordination but a political alliance aimed at creating a democratic and progressive alternative, transcending the fragmentation that has characterized the left in recent years. Conversely, the Socialist Union has struggled to fully realize its announced project of collaboration with the Progress and Socialism Party, which was intended to be a continuation of their historical partnership.
As the Socialist Union presents its candidates in a different light, the list, while geographically expansive and inclusive of numerous districts, features relatively few names that stand out on a national level. Among them are Abdelkarim Benatiq, a former minister and a well-known party figure, and Hassan Lachkar, the party's candidate in the Rabat Shalla district, notable primarily for being the son of the First Secretary. The discussion surrounding this list is intensified by the fact that the Socialist Union has increasingly relied on attracting individuals with prior political backgrounds from outside the party's ranks. In regions like Marrakech-Safi, several candidates previously belonged to other parties before joining the Socialist Union, indicative of a strategy focused on attracting political "migrants".
This paradox raises an intriguing political question: has the Socialist Union, historically a training ground for activists and leaders, increasingly come to depend on bringing in ready-made candidates from outside its organizational structure while witnessing the departure of some of its own members to other parties? Despite Idriss Lachgar's assertion that 77% of local candidates represent new faces, and that the party is focused on youth, women, and competencies, this narrative encounters skepticism regarding the meaning of renewal, which no longer seems to stem from within the party's traditional framework but rather as a substitute for organizational deficiencies.
Lachgar faces severe criticism for allegedly sidelining genuine "unionists" in favor of electoral figures in pursuit of parliamentary seats, thereby shifting the focus away from rebuilding the party. This mirrors events from 2021 when the former regional secretary of the Socialist Union in Tangier-Assilah, Ahmed Yahya, opposed Lachgar's bypassing of local organizations in candidate selection, resulting in Lachgar dissolving the local office and leading both figures into legal conflict.
This point is central to understanding the transformation of the Socialist Union Party, which no longer possesses the same breadth of leadership and activist resources that once formed its organizational, trade union, and intellectual extension. Additionally, many figures historically associated with the party have either left or become distanced from decision-making centers. The affiliation with the Socialist Union no longer appears as a natural choice for many new leftist figures, as other frameworks emerge, presenting themselves as spaces for rebuilding the left on more unified foundations.
As reported by assahifa.com.
