Results of the Legislative Elections in Morocco
In a significant political event for Morocco, the three parties comprising the ruling coalition emerged victorious in the recent legislative elections held on Wednesday. This election, marked by a historically low voter turnout of just 38%, the lowest in nearly two decades, also witnessed the resurgence of Islamist parties. According to the preliminary results announced on Thursday, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), a center-right faction within the coalition, secured 97 out of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Following closely was the National Rally of Independents (RNI), led by the current Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, which finished with 66 seats, losing approximately thirty seats compared to the 2021 elections. The Istiqlal Party, another member of the coalition, claimed third place with 65 seats.
Notably, the Justice and Development Party (PJD), an opposition Islamist entity that focused part of its campaign on combating corruption, made a remarkable comeback by quadrupling its representation to 54 seats, up from just 13 previously. The formation of the new coalition government will be a task for King Mohammed VI, who retains the authority to appoint the individual responsible for creating the executive body for the upcoming five years. Among the names being considered for this critical role is Fouzi Lekjaa, the Budget Minister who also holds the presidency of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. Another prominent figure in discussions is Fatima Ezzahra Mansouri, the Minister of Territorial Planning and the Mayor of Marrakech, who has been highlighted by local media as a potential candidate to become the first woman to lead a government in Morocco's history.
The elections were characterized by a concerningly low participation rate, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the political class and growing concerns over unemployment and inequality in the nation.
As reported by rfi.fr.
