Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has won the largest number of seats in the country’s parliamentary election, taking 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 negotiations to form the next government. However, the party is well short of the 198 seats needed for an absolute majority. It will therefore need support from other parties to establish a governing coalition.
The election came amid growing frustration among young Moroccans. Jobs, wages, housing, healthcare and education were major concerns during the campaign. The vote was also the first parliamentary election since deadly youth-led protests last year and mass migration attempts at the Ceuta border in July.
PAM Leads as RNI Suffers Losses
PAM increased its representation compared with the 2021 election, when it won 87 seats. Its former coalition partner, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), suffered a major setback and finished with 66 seats.
The Istiqlal Party came close behind with 65 seats. Meanwhile, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) made a significant comeback, rising from only 13 seats in 2021 to 54 this time. PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane said the party would remain in opposition.
PAM had previously indicated that it did not want to renew its coalition with RNI. However, party coordinator Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri later said there would be no “red lines” in coalition negotiations, leaving the final shape of the next government open.
Morocco Faces Pressure Ahead of World Cup
The incoming government will oversee major investment projects as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
The government will also face pressure to respond to concerns over employment and living costs. Reuters reported that PAM campaigned on plans involving major investment in jobs, healthcare, education, social protection and wages.
The party has also faced political controversy. Some senior PAM members were linked to a major drug- and gold-trafficking scandal, with several later receiving prison sentences. Despite the fallout, PAM increased its number of parliamentary seats.
PAM was founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a former adviser to King Mohammed VI and a close associate of the monarch. The party later became an important political counterweight to the PJD, which previously led the Moroccan government.
King to Choose Head of Government
Under Morocco’s constitutional system, the king appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats. That means PAM is positioned to lead the process of forming the next government.
Two PAM figures have emerged as possible candidates for the top government post: Fouzi Lekjaa, president of Morocco’s football federation and a government budget official, and Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the party’s coordinator and mayor of Marrakech. Neither has been appointed.
Lekjaa joined PAM shortly before the election and has been associated with Morocco’s recent football success and preparations for the 2030 World Cup. El Mansouri would become Morocco’s first female prime minister if she were selected.
Low Turnout Highlights Political Challenges
Around six million of Morocco’s 15.8 million registered voters took part in Wednesday’s election. Official figures put turnout at about 38%, down sharply from roughly 50% in 2021 and the lowest level since 2007.
The low participation adds another challenge for the parties preparing to form the next government. PAM now faces coalition negotiations while the new administration prepares to manage major World Cup-related investment and respond to demands for more jobs, better public services and improved living standards.
