Politics
Morocco's governing coalition fractures ahead of parliamentary election
Ruling parties trade accusations over candidates and future cabinet posts as Morocco prepares for its September 23 vote.
The short version
- Morocco is set to hold parliamentary elections on September 23, with candidate nominations open and official campaigning beginning on September 10.
- Internal friction within the governing coalition—comprising the RNI, PAM, and Istiqlal—surfaced publicly following a leaked audio recording and allegations of candidate poaching.
- Key campaign battlegrounds include living costs, job creation, healthcare, education, and the fallout from a deadly July mass border crossing into Ceuta.
- The party that wins the most seats will be tasked with forming the next coalition government under Morocco's constitutional system.
Key facts
- Moroccan voters are scheduled to elect a new House of Representatives on September 23, with official campaigning starting on September 10.[Al Jazeera]
- According to the Interior Ministry, 702 candidate lists from 27 political parties were submitted on the first afternoon of nominations, with around 15.8 million registered voters nationwide.[Al Jazeera]
- A leaked audio recording attributed to House Speaker Rachid Talbi Alami revealed internal tensions between the RNI and PAM over Budget Minister Fouzi Lekjaa's potential future cabinet role.[Al Jazeera]
- Government job creation records are contested, with an analysis by Medias24 finding about 95,000 net jobs created by late 2025 against a 1 million pledge, while the government reports 850,000 non-agricultural jobs added between 2021 and 2025.[Al Jazeera]
- The election follows a July 30 mass border crossing attempt into Ceuta involving at least 72,000 people, which left 82 dead on the Spanish side and 14 dead on the Moroccan side.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the opposition Justice and Development Party (PJD) can rebuild sufficient voter support following its heavy defeat in the 2021 election.[Al Jazeera]
- The full identity of victims from the July 30 Ceuta border crossing, with only six deceased individuals officially identified by August 21.[Al Jazeera]