Read Time: 4 minutes
Parties seen as close to Morocco’s king have dealt a crushing blow to the long-ruling Islamists in parliamentary elections, preliminary results on Thursday showed.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which had headed the governing coalition for a decade, saw its support collapse from 125 seats in the outgoing assembly to just 12, Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit told reporters after Wednesday’s vote.
Following its demise, the PJD leadership, including current chief and outgoing premier Saad-Eddine El Othmani, resigned on Thursday, the party said.
The PJD will now return to its “natural” role in the opposition, a statement said, adding that it will hold an emergency congress as soon as possible.
The PJD was far behind its main rivals, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), with 97 and 82 seats respectively, and the centre-right Istiqlal party with 78 in the 395-seat assembly.
The Istiqlal (Independence) party, Morocco’s oldest, made a remarkable comeback, adding 32 seats.
Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit announces the results of Morocco’s parliamentary and local elections, with the long-ruling Islamists suffering a crushing defeat. By FADEL SENNA (AFP)
The RNI, which was a junior member of the governing coalition, is headed by billionaire businessman Aziz Akhannouch, described as close to the palace.
And the main opposition PAM was founded by current royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma in 2008.
Akhannouch hailed “the popular will for change”, calling the results “a victory for democracy”.
High turnout
The magnitude of the Islamists’ defeat was unexpected. Despite the absence of opinion polls that are banned near election time, the media and analysts had believed the PJD would still come first.
Distribution of seats, based on partial results, in the Moroccan parliament after elections on Wednesday, September 8.. By (AFP)
Swept to power in the wake of the 2011 uprisings around the Middle East and North Africa, the PJD had hoped to secure a third term leading a ruling coalition.
King Mohammed VI will name a prime minister from the winning party to govern the nation of 36 million for the next five years, succeeding Othmani.
The final results should be known later on Thursday.
Turnout was 50.35 percent, the interior minister said, higher than the 43 percent in the 2016 legislative polls but lower than the 53 percent during the 2015 local elections.
Changes to the voting system meant it was the first time Morocco’s 18 million voters cast ballots in both parliamentary and local elections on the same day, in an effort to boost turnout.
Political scientist Ismail Hammoudi said internal PJD policy squabbles after ex-PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane was ousted as party leader contributed to its defeat.
He said that even the party’s religious arm “did not urge its members to vote PJD”.
‘Dustbin of history’
Abdellatif Ouahbi, president of Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity party (C), gestures after his party came in second in the election, with 82 seats. By FADEL SENNA (AFP)
Analyst Mustapha Sehimi said the fact that Othmani’s position was seen to be a compromise greatly weakened the Islamists’ position.
According to French historian Paul Vermeren, Benkirane’s ouster combined with Morocco’s normalisation last year of ties with Israel put paid to the PJD, consigning it “to the dustbin of history”.
In 2011, the North African kingdom adopted a new constitution devolving many of the monarch’s powers to parliament and the government.
But regardless of who holds elected office, major decisions still come from initiatives of King Mohammed VI.
‘New reforms’The ruling Islamists raised allegations of vote buying but the interior minister said voting took place ‘under normal circumstances’ apart from isolated incidents. By FADEL SENNA (AFP)
On Wednesday, the Islamists alleged “serious irregularities,” including “obscene cash handouts” near polling stations and “confusion” on some electoral rolls, with some voters finding they were not listed.
However, the interior minister said voting took place “under normal circumstances” apart from some isolated incidents.
The short, largely lacklustre election campaign, with no large gatherings because of the coronavirus, had already been marred by accusations of vote buying.
Most major decisions in Morocco still ultimately flow from King Mohammed VI. By Driss BEN MALEK (Moroccan Royal Palace/AFP/File)
After the 2016 elections, the RNI leader secured critical ministerial jobs for his party, including the economy and finance and industry portfolios.
For the first time since the first elections were held in Morocco in 1960, parties’ shares of seats will be calculated based on registered voters, rather than those who actually cast their ballots, in an amendment seen as favouring smaller parties.
Whatever the final outcome, political parties are expected to sign up to a charter for a “new model of development” with a “new generation of reforms and projects” in the coming years, the king has announced.
The plan’s major aims include reducing Morocco’s wealth gap and doubling per-capita economic output
Valuable info. Lucky me I discovered your web site by
accident, and I’m surprised why this twist of fate didn’t came about earlier!
I bookmarked it.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well
written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back
to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post.
I’ll certainly comeback.
Very nice article, totally what I wanted to find.
Excellent goods from you, man. I have take note your stuff previous to and
you’re simply extremely wonderful. I actually like
what you have got right here, certainly like what you
are saying and the best way during which you say it. You’re making it enjoyable and you continue to care
for to keep it sensible. I can’t wait to read far more from
you. This is actually a tremendous web site.
I think that is one of the so much vital information for me.
And i am glad studying your article. However want to statement on some basic things, The website style is
perfect, the articles is actually great : D. Good activity, cheers
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog
and I’m impressed! Very helpful information specially the closing part
🙂 I deal with such information a lot. I was looking for
this certain information for a very lengthy time.
Thank you and good luck.
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular post!
It is the little changes that make the greatest
changes. Many thanks for sharing!
Howdy this is kinda of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get guidance from someone
with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
Good info. Lucky me I recently found your site by accident (stumbleupon).
I have book-marked it for later!
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site,
how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account
aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit
acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear
idea
Hello, after reading this remarkable piece of writing i am also cheerful to share my familiarity here with mates.
It’s remarkable to pay a quick visit this web page and reading the
views of all mates about this piece of writing, while I am also
keen of getting experience.
Currently it seems like Movable Type is the top
blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
Thanks for the good writeup. It actually used to be a entertainment account it.
Glance complicated to far introduced agreeable from you!
By the way, how can we be in contact?
This post offers clear idea in support of the new users of blogging,
that in fact how to do blogging and site-building.
I’m not sure why but this website is loading incredibly slow
for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is
it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.
I am really enjoying the theme/design of your blog.
Do you ever run into any web browser compatibility issues?
A small number of my blog readers have complained about my
blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great
in Chrome. Do you have any advice to help fix
this problem?
Right here is the right blog for anyone who hopes
to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost
tough to argue with you (not that I actually
will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a topic that has been written about for many years.
Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s equally
educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head.
The issue is something that too few folks are speaking intelligently about.
I am very happy that I found this in my hunt for something relating to this.
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is required to get set
up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% positive.
Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Appreciate it
Ahaa, its pleasant discussion concerning this post at
this place at this webpage, I have read all that, so at this time me
also commenting here.
Nice post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and I am inspired!
Very useful info particularly the closing phase 🙂 I maintain such info much.
I was seeking this particular info for a
long time. Thank you and best of luck.
I do not know if it’s just me or if everybody else experiencing issues with your site.
It appears as if some of the written text within your posts are running off
the screen. Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them too?
This could be a issue with my web browser because I’ve had this happen previously.
Appreciate it
Can you tell us more about this? I’d love to find
out some additional information.
Fastidious replies in return of this query with firm arguments
and telling the whole thing on the topic of that.
Hey there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter
group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate
your content. Please let me know. Many thanks
This is a topic that’s close to my heart… Many thanks!
Where are your contact details though?
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good
topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding
more. Thanks for magnificent information I was looking for this info for
my mission.
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and
I find It really useful & it helped me out a lot.
I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.
When someone writes an post he/she maintains the plan of
a user in his/her mind that how a user can understand it.
Therefore that’s why this piece of writing is outstdanding.
Thanks!
When someone writes an article he/she maintains
the idea of a user in his/her mind that how a
user can understand it. Therefore that’s why this article is great.
Thanks!
Everything is very open with a precise description of the issues.
It was definitely informative. Your site is very useful.
Many thanks for sharing!
My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP.
I have always disliked the idea because of the costs. But he’s tryiong none the less.
I’ve been using Movable-type on various websites for about a year and am anxious
about switching to another platform. I have heard great things about blogengine.net.
Is there a way I can import all my wordpress content into it?
Any kind of help would be really appreciated!
I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This paragraph posted at this
website is really pleasant.
Wow, awesome blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your
website is magnificent, as well as the content!
I was able to find good information from your blog posts.
Wow, that’s what I was looking for, what a stuff!
existing here at this webpage, thanks admin of this site.
These are in fact great ideas in about blogging.
You have touched some nice things here. Any way keep up wrinting.
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a
colleague who has been doing a little homework on this. And he in fact bought me dinner because
I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this matter here on your site.
I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody
else know such detailed about my difficulty. You are incredible!
Thanks!
Everything is very open with a precise description of the issues.
It was definitely informative. Your website is very useful.
Many thanks for sharing!
Do you have a spam issue on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have developed some nice practices and we are looking to exchange solutions with others, why not shoot me an e-mail if interested.
Yes! Finally someone writes about erocafe.
Hi, I wish for to subscribe for this webpage to get latest updates,
so where can i do it please assist.
naturally like your web site but you need to take a look at the spelling on several
of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues
and I to find it very troublesome to tell the truth however I’ll certainly come again again.
Piece of writing writing is also a excitement, if you be acquainted with after
that you can write or else it is complicated to write.
Hi there colleagues, nice paragraph and nice arguments
commented here, I am in fact enjoying by these.
What’s up to every , since I am in fact keen of reading this
web site’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It consists of good stuff.
Hello to every one, the contents existing at this website are genuinely
amazing for people knowledge, well, keep up the nice work fellows.
What a stuff of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious experience
concerning unexpected feelings.
Hi, yes this piece of writing is truly good and
I have learned lot of things from it on the topic of
blogging. thanks.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a
comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way
you can remove me from that service? Bless you!
I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and engaging, and
let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the
head. The problem is something that not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about.
I am very happy that I stumbled across this
during my search for something concerning this.
Hello to every one, the contents present at this website are genuinely remarkable for people experience, well, keep up the good work fellows.
Awesome article.
Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found
that it is truly informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels.
I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future.
Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
I am sure this piece of writing has touched all the internet people, its really really fastidious article on building up new blog.
It’s amazing to visit this web site and reading the views of all colleagues on the topic of this post, while I
am also eager of getting experience.
fantastic points altogether, you just received a new reader.
What would you recommend in regards to your put up
that you simply made some days ago? Any positive?
This information is priceless. When can I find out more?
I’m gone to tell my little brother, that he should also go to see this webpage on regular basis to
get updated from most recent reports.
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your site and detailed information you offer.
It’s nice to come across a blog every once
in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed material.
Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m
adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
you’re actually a good webmaster. The web site
loading speed is amazing. It kind of feels that you’re doing any distinctive trick.
In addition, The contents are masterpiece.
you’ve performed a fantastic activity in this matter!
After I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I
get 4 emails with the same comment. Is there a means you are
able to remove me from that service? Appreciate it!
Hello! I realize this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask.
Does operating a well-established blog like yours require a large amount of work?
I am brand new to running a blog but I do write in my diary daily.
I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my personal
experience and feelings online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions
or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Thankyou!
Hi there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after looking at a few of
the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m certainly pleased
I came across it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back often!
Greetings I am so grateful I found your site, I really found you by error, while
I was looking on Aol for something else, Regardless I am
here now and would just like to say many thanks for a remarkable post and a all round exciting blog (I
also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I
have book-marked it and also added in your RSS
feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the excellent work.