Political Turbulence in the Socialist Union Party
As the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) embarks on its electoral campaign for the upcoming legislative elections scheduled for September 23, it finds itself at a critical juncture that poses significant challenges to its political and organizational path. This predicament is not solely due to electoral stakes but also stems from the mixed outcomes that have emerged during the preparation for these elections. In the lead-up to this pivotal moment, the party has experienced a series of resignations, departures, and political transitions involving several key figures and members, with many prominent left-leaning individuals opting to align with other political factions. This trend highlights a notable decline in the USFP's ability to maintain its position as a leading force within the Moroccan left and to attract influential names from its political and historical milieu.
The exodus from the USFP has been characterized by a sequential departure of notable figures. Although the party's leadership presents its candidate list as a testament to renewal and openness to competencies, a closer examination reveals a more complex reality; the party that once stood as a significant political name for the left in Morocco now struggles to retain experienced members. Notably, a portion of leftist figures appears to be exploring new political avenues, either within the framework of the New Left Alliance or in competing parties. The case of Abdelhadi Khairat serves as a poignant example of this transformation, as the historical USFP leader, closely associated with the party's legacy, chose to join the Party of Progress and Socialism earlier this year, following a prolonged estrangement from the USFP and a deteriorating relationship with its Secretary-General, Idriss Lachgar.
Khairat articulated his reasons for this transition during an interview with the national broadcaster, indicating that his decision followed extensive political discussions and a growing realization of the impracticality of continuing within the USFP. This statement underscores the profound disconnection that has characterized his relationship with the party over the years. The indicators of this attrition are not limited to historical symbols, as recent weeks have seen a wave of resignations linked to various issues surrounding the management of electoral endorsements and candidate lists. The political bureau of the USFP accepted the resignation of Rejae Al-Baqali Al-Tahiri and announced that Maryam Jamal Al-Idrisi had also decided to leave the party, amidst controversies regarding the selection process for regional list candidates.
Is the USFP Losing Its Prominence in the Moroccan Left?
The challenges facing the USFP extend beyond the loss of individual members; they raise deeper questions about the party's position within the broader landscape of the Moroccan left. A striking paradox in the upcoming 2026 elections is that discussions regarding the left's future no longer center around the USFP's capability to lead this movement but rather on the emergence of new centers of attraction that may 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 serves as a new political framework that explicitly expresses the desire to unite part of the leftist diaspora and participate in the legislative elections with a joint political project. The two parties emphasized that their collaboration is not merely a temporary electoral coordination but a political alliance aimed at building a democratic and progressive alternative, thereby overcoming the fragmentation that has characterized the left in recent years.
On the other hand, the USFP has struggled to bring its announced project of alliance with the Party of Progress and Socialism to fruition, as this initiative quickly lost momentum despite the solid historical ground shared by both parties. Together, they secured a total of 56 seats in the 2021 elections, with 34 attributed to the USFP and 22 to their allies. Currently, the USFP's candidate list presents itself differently; although it encompasses a wide geographical scope and includes a large number of constituencies, the names that stand out as capable of garnering national attention appear relatively limited. Among them are Abdelkarim Benatiq, a former minister and a well-known figure within the party, and Hassan Lachkar, the party's candidate in the Rabat Shalla constituency, who has gained visibility primarily due to being the son of the party's secretary-general.
The discourse surrounding this candidate list intensifies as the USFP itself has relied on attracting individuals with prior political careers outside the party in several regions. For instance, in the Marrakech-Safi region, several names presented were previously affiliated with other parties before joining the USFP, reflecting a strategy of attracting so-called "political nomads." Among the notable names emerging in this context are Ahmed Al-Toumi, Hamid Al-Akrud, Abdel Samad Aqdash, and Abdel Ghani Kamel. This situation raises a significant political question: has the USFP, historically a training ground for activists and leaders, increasingly relied on recruiting established figures from outside its organizational framework at a time when some of its own members and leaders are departing to other parties?
While Idriss Lachgar asserts that 77% of local list candidates represent new faces and that the party is focusing on youth, women, and competencies, this narrative faces scrutiny regarding the essence of renewal, which no longer seems to emanate from within the USFP but rather compensates for an organizational deficit. Lachgar has faced sharp criticism, with concerns that he is sidelining genuine "unionists" in favor of electoral figures while pursuing parliamentary seats, neglecting the need to refocus on rebuilding the party. This echoes the events of 2021 when the then-regional secretary of the USFP in Tangier-Assila, Ahmed Yahya, opposed Lachgar's circumvention of local organizations in candidate selection, leading to a legal dispute between the two.
This point is central to understanding the transformation that the USFP has undergone. The party no longer possesses the same momentum and breadth of leadership and activists that once formed its organizational, union, and intellectual extension. Additionally, many figures historically associated with the USFP line have either left the party or are distanced from decision-making centers within it. Furthermore, affiliation with the USFP no longer appears as an obvious choice for many new left-leaning figures, especially as alternative frameworks emerge that present themselves as avenues for reconstructing the left on more unified foundations.
As reported by assahifa.com.
