Electoral Battle Heats Up in Rabat's Ocean District
The political landscape in Rabat's strategic Ocean constituency is gearing up for an intense and uncertain electoral battle as the legislative elections approach. This pivotal area of the capital is witnessing a fierce competition among former ministers and prominent political figures vying for four parliamentary seats. According to well-informed sources cited by the daily Al Akhbar on August 12, 2026, while the race remains tightly contested among several high-profile candidates, a clear trend is emerging in favor of two frontrunners who appear to be gaining an edge.
Leading this electoral race are Taha El Joumani, representing the National Rally of Independents, and Mehdi Bensaïd, a candidate from the Authenticity and Modernity Party. Both candidates possess significant advantages that considerably bolster their positions against their competitors. Taha El Joumani's strength lies in his ability to garner substantial support from local actors and influential personalities, who can sway the distribution of votes beyond mere party affiliation. Meanwhile, Mehdi Bensaïd benefits from his previous experience in the constituency, his well-established political roots, and the robust organizational machine of his party, which provides him with strong visibility despite the presence of the younger candidate from the Dove party.
Trailing behind this leading duo, the prospects for other contenders appear more variable and heavily depend on the size of their respective electoral bases. Abdelilah El Bouzidi, representing the Istiqlal Party, does not find himself in as comfortable a position as his main rivals. Although he boasts a solid political background and historic local presence, the current climate necessitates an exceptional mobilization effort on his part to maintain his voter base, particularly as several local actors have recently shifted their support towards other candidates, as reported in Al Akhbar.
The competition intensifies for the coveted fourth seat, where heavyweight personalities such as Mustapha El Khalfi, representing the Justice and Development Party, and Abdelkrim Benatiq, a candidate from the Socialist Union of Popular Forces, are in contention. Abdelkrim Benatiq carries significant political clout and a notable public profile, but the real challenge for his party lies in converting this influence into actual votes and appealing beyond the traditional party apparatus. On the other hand, Mustapha El Khalfi emphasizes his governmental background and political experience, although the recent electoral setbacks for his party make reclaiming a seat more demanding and reliant on re-engaging his electoral base.
Lastly, Omar Benjelloun, representing the Democratic Left Federation, stands as a challenger capable of influencing the vote distribution among the leftist and protest electorate, despite some observers expressing skepticism about replacing Farouk Mahdaoui. Thus, the Ocean constituency remains one of those electoral strongholds where no definitive predictions can be made ahead of time, as the gap between the various contenders remains narrow, and each candidate's ability to mobilize voters in the final days of the campaign will be crucial in determining the allocation of the four contested seats.
As reported by fr.le360.ma.
