Morocco: Center-right PAM leads in parliamentary election

Morocco: Center-right PAM leads in parliamentary election September 24, 2026Morocco's center-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) took first place in Wednesday's parliamentary election, according to provisional results. PAM is part of Morocco's outgoing ruling coalition. The party won 97 out of 395 seats in parliament, 10 seats more than in 2021. It was founded in 2008 by an adviser to the king and advocates social modernization and moderate secularist views. It is largely seen as close to the Moroccan monarchy. The next coalition government will oversee preparations for the 2030 World Cup. The vote is not expected to fundamentally alter the balance of power in the North African kingdom. As the country is a semi-constitutional monarchy, Morocco's King Mohammed VI retains substantial powers in both policy direction and foreign affairs. How did other parties fare in Morocco's election? The National Rally of Independents (RNI), the senior partner in the outgoing coalition, dropped from 102 to 66 seats, putting it at second place. The smallest member of the governing coalition, the right-wing Istiqlal party also saw losses, taking 65 seats, 16 fewer than in 2021. The moderate Islamist opposition Justice and Development Party surged to 54 seats, compared to just 13 in 2021. Election marked by increasing voter apathy The election saw turnout of 38%, marking the lowest level since 2007. Nearly 16 million people were registered to vote. Only around 4% of registered voters were aged 18 to 24. In 2025, Morocco was rocked by Gen Z-led protests, which were the largest in the country since the Arab Spring in the early 2010s. Mistrust in politicians and issues regarding living conditions were widely blamed for the low turnout. "I'm not going to vote because I have lost all faith in the political class," 50-year-old Majda Bakatir told the AFP news agency. "We want our country to move forward, but politicians do not seem to care about our problems regarding healthcare, education, and purchasing power," she said. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google so you'll always see our verified news first. Edited by: Sean Sinico