Morocco Election: King’s Allies Win Most Seats, But Fall Short Of Majority

Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has emerged as the largest party in the country’s parliamentary election, winning 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, according to final results announced by the Interior Ministry on Friday.

The result puts PAM at the centre of efforts to form Morocco’s next government, but the party is well short of the 198 seats required for a majority. Under the constitution, King Mohammed VI appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats, meaning PAM will now have to negotiate with other parties to assemble a governing coalition.

The National Rally of Independents (RNI) finished second with 66 seats, down sharply from 102 in the 2021 election, while the Istiqlal Party secured 65. The opposition Justice and Development Party (PJD) recorded one of the election’s biggest turnarounds, winning 54 seats after being reduced to just 13 in 2021. The PJD had previously led Morocco’s government for a decade.

PAM was founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a royal adviser and close associate of King Mohammed VI. PAM, RNI and Istiqlal have governed together since 2021, but tensions between PAM and RNI have raised questions about whether the same coalition will continue. The PJD, meanwhile, has indicated it will remain in opposition, according to reports.

The election was also marked by low voter participation. Only about 38 percent of registered voters cast ballots, down from 50.86 percent in 2021 and marking the second-lowest parliamentary turnout since Mohammed VI became king in 1999. The vote came amid youth-led protests over jobs, healthcare, education and living costs.

Potential names for the premiership include PAM figures Fouzi Lekjaa, the head of Morocco’s football federation and budget minister, and Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, who is also mayor of Marrakech. El Mansouri could become Morocco’s first woman prime minister if selected.

The incoming government will also oversee major infrastructure spending as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, while facing pressure to create jobs and improve public services.