Africa · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Moroccans Vote For House Of Representatives With 15.8 Million Registered Voters
About 15.8 million registered to vote for 395-seat House of Representatives. Twenty-seven parties compete for 395 seats; lists include 2,658 female candidates.
23 outlets told this the same way.
3 of 4 outlets skipped it: youth participation is pressured because overseas voters must appoint a proxy.
23outlets compared
Morocco votes for parliament
Moroccans went to polling stations on Wednesday to elect members of the House of Representatives, the lower house, in the country’s 12th legislative election since independence in 1956. Morocco’s election is set for 395 seats, with 27 political parties competing, and the official figures say 15,801,162 registered voters are eligible to vote. Voting began at 8 am (0800 GMT) and is set to close at 7 pm (1900 GMT) local time across the country, according to Moroccan officials.
The election campaign ran from September 10 and ended at midnight on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s vote, and provisional results are expected to begin being announced on Thursday, September 24. The election comes as economic concerns dominate the campaign, with France 24 reporting that the vote is “dominated by economic concerns” and Al Jazeera describing the “social and economic crisis, especially high prices and the cost of living” shaping voter frustration.
Youth, turnout, and complaints
Mohammed Masbah, head of the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis, linked the election’s importance to “a state of frustration among broad segments of society, especially the youth.” The digital space became the primary arena for violations this year, accounting for 22 complaints, as legal amendments criminalise digital offences for the first time. Al Jazeera’s account of the vote’s mechanics described an absolute majority of 198 deputies as necessary for parliamentary confidence, with the king appointing the head of government from the leading party after votes are counted.
Al Jazeera’s analysis of voting behavior said turnout is expected to remain steady due to “the stable bloc formed by Moroccan deserts and villages,” which relies on a network of notables. Al Jazeera added that “Electoral and voting behaviour in Morocco is not primarily linked to electoral programmes and promises [of parties]” and instead tied it to notables and traditional elites.
Government formation and stakes
The prime minister is appointed by the king from the party that wins the most seats, and then the premier forms a government for a five-year term while the monarch retains control of major policy decisions. The king will appoint the head of government from the leading party after votes are counted, but the new government will still need the support of 198 deputies to gain parliamentary confidence. The election comes alongside a key milestone for the country with the 2030 World Cup, which requires huge investments.
Atalayar reported that the Ministry of the Interior deployed arrangements to serve the 15,801,162 registered voters and said nearly 41,000 polling stations opened nationwide. Atalayar said the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers, operating under the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), certified 26 domestic associations and 30 international organisations, while it said the oversight operation mobilises 3,060 accredited observerson the ground.