The recent legislative elections held on September 23, 2026, provided an opportune moment to reflect on the significant rulings made by the constitutional judge regarding electoral cases throughout Morocco's history, beginning with the Constitutional Chamber, continuing through the Constitutional Council, and culminating in the establishment of the Constitutional Court. This examination reveals a glimpse into the legal and political struggles that have accompanied legislative elections in Morocco since the adoption of the constitution in 1962. In this series, we delve into notable instances from the archives of electoral appeals, spotlighting prominent political figures. Today, we focus on the accusations surrounding the victory of Fatima Zahra Mansouri from the Authenticity and Modernity Party in the 2016 elections, specifically in one of the constituencies of Marrakech.
Before transitioning from the Justice and Development Party to the National Rally of Independents, former lawyer and parliamentarian Younes Ben Slimane contested the 2016 elections representing the 'PJD' in the local electoral district of Sidi Yusuf Ben Ali in Marrakech, facing off against Mansouri, who is currently the designated Prime Minister tasked with forming the government. Following the elections on October 7, 2016, Ben Slimane, as one of the winning candidates, filed a challenge before the Constitutional Court, seeking to annul Mansouri's election based on several allegations related to her campaign.
Among the claims made by the challenger, as outlined in Decision No. 05/17 M.E issued by the Constitutional Court on May 16, 2017, was the assertion that Mansouri's runner-up, who is the son of a local municipal president in the electoral district, promoted a campaign advertisement featuring his image individually, which could misleadingly suggest he was the list's official representative. Furthermore, Ben Slimane accused Mansouri of enlisting the help of a foreign individual during her campaign, alleging that this person called for votes in favor of her party through a post on a social media platform.
The allegations also included claims of interference by a local authority member who purportedly encouraged voting for Mansouri during the campaign and on election day, in addition to accusations of using financial incentives to sway voters through two individuals. However, the Constitutional Court dismissed these claims. It ruled that the evidence regarding the campaign advertisement was limited to a mere photograph and noted that the allegation concerning the foreign individual was supported only by a purported image of an article, which lacked verification of its publication on Mansouri's account or its use during the campaign.
Regarding the claims of interference by the local authority and the use of money, the judges of the Constitutional Court pointed out that the challenger had only substantiated his allegations with two complaints, which the public prosecutor's office in Marrakech decided to archive. Consequently, the Constitutional Court concluded that the claims related to the campaign were "not based on solid grounds," rejecting the request to annul Fatima Zahra Mansouri's election.
As reported by alyaoum24.com.
