Political Turmoil and Leadership Changes
The Socialist Union Party (USFP) in Morocco is currently navigating one of the most critical phases in its political journey as the campaign for the legislative elections scheduled for September 23 begins. This situation is marked not only by the electoral stakes at play but also by the outcomes of the preparatory phase leading up to these elections. In the lead-up to this pivotal moment, the party has experienced a wave of resignations and departures among several leaders and significant figures, indicating a concerning trend. Notably, many prominent leftist individuals have chosen to join other political parties, highlighting a notable decline in the USFP's ability to maintain its position at the forefront of the Moroccan left and attract influential individuals from its political and historical milieu.
Implications of Departures and New Alliances
Despite the party's leadership presenting its list of candidates as a reflection of renewal and openness to new talents, the reality is far more complex. The names showcased are juxtaposed with those of notable individuals who have either left the party or chosen to participate in the upcoming elections under different banners. This paints a complicated picture for the USFP, which, for decades, was a significant political force for the Moroccan left, now appears less capable of retaining some of its experienced members. A portion of the leftist figures is actively seeking new political spaces, either within the New Left Alliance or among competing parties. The situation of Abdelhadi Kheirat serves as a prominent example of this shift; this historic leader, closely associated with the party's legacy, chose to join the Progress and Socialism Party earlier this year, following a prolonged estrangement from the USFP and a rupture in his relationship with the party's Secretary-General, Idriss Lachgar.
Moreover, the party has seen a series of recent resignations linked to the management of candidacies and electoral lists, with the resignation of Rajae Al-Baqali Al-Tahiri accepted by the USFP's political bureau. Mariam Jamal Al-Idrisi also announced her departure in light of the controversies surrounding the selection process for regional candidates. While the party claims that these processes adhered to its internal regulations and that the political bureau unanimously approved the committee decisions, the departing members presented different interpretations of how those rules were enacted. This discord escalated with the resignation of Salwa Al-Dimenati, a former member of the political bureau and current parliamentarian, who left the party on August 31, criticizing the management and organizational choices.
In a similar vein, the departure of Ammar Hamza, the former regional secretary of the USFP in Wazan, to the Authenticity and Modernity Party, accompanied by several party members, further underscores the ongoing organizational challenges the USFP faces. This shift, announced in late August, is particularly significant given Hamza's prior organizational stature within the party and occurs as political entities are restructuring locally in preparation for the elections.
The dilemma facing the USFP extends beyond the mere loss of individual names; it raises deeper questions about the party's standing within the broader context of the Moroccan left. The notable paradox in the upcoming 2026 elections is that discussions surrounding the future of the left no longer center on the USFP's capability to lead this political current but rather on the emergence of new centers of attraction that could compete for leftist talents and figures. The establishment of the Left Alliance between the Unified Socialist Party and the Democratic Left Federation on June 3 sets a new political framework aiming to unify parts of the fragmented left and contest the legislative elections with a shared political project, emphasizing not just a temporary electoral coordination but a political alliance seeking to build a democratic and progressive alternative to the disjointed left.
On the other hand, the USFP's efforts to solidify its alliance with the Progress and Socialism Party, announced in 2023, have stagnated quickly, despite the shared historical foundation between the two parties. Together, they secured a total of 56 seats in the 2021 elections, with 34 for the USFP and 22 for the Progress and Socialism Party. Now, as the party prepares its candidate list, it is presented differently. Although it encompasses a wide geographical area and includes a substantial number of districts, the names capable of capturing national attention appear relatively limited. Among them are Abdelkarim Benatiq, a former minister and recognized figure within the party, and Hassan Lachkar, the party's candidate in the Rabat Shalla district, notable primarily for being the son of the Secretary-General.
The ongoing discourse surrounding the nature of this candidate list intensifies as the USFP has increasingly relied on attracting individuals with prior political experiences outside the party structure itself. In the Marrakesh-Safi region, for instance, several candidates presented have previously belonged to other parties before joining the USFP, a strategy described as attracting political 'nomads.' This situation raises a significant political question: has the USFP, historically a training ground for activists and leaders, increasingly depended on attracting ready-made candidates from outside its organizational framework, while its own members and leaders are departing to other parties? Despite Idriss Lachgar's claims that 77% of local candidates represent new faces and that the party is focused on youth, women, and competencies, this narrative faces challenges regarding the meaning of renewal, which no longer seems to stem from the USFP's own foundation but rather as a substitute for organizational deficiencies.
Lachgar faces sharp criticism for allegedly sidelining 'real' party members in favor of electoral figures in pursuit of parliamentary seats, rather than focusing on rebuilding the party as was done in 2021 with the former regional secretary of the USFP in Tangier-Assilah, Ahmed Yahya. Following Yahya's opposition to Lachgar's bypassing of local organizations in candidate selection, the latter disbanded the regional office, leading to a legal conflict between the two. This point is crucial to understanding the transformation within the USFP; it no longer possesses the same reservoir of leaders and activists that constituted its organizational, union, and intellectual extension. Additionally, many figures historically associated with the USFP's agenda have become distanced from the party or have moved away from decision-making circles, making affiliation with the USFP less of an obvious choice for numerous new leftist figures as other frameworks emerge, presenting themselves as spaces for rebuilding the left on more unified foundations.
As reported by assahifa.com.
