Morocco's PAM leads provisional parliamentary results as turnout falls
Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party has taken the lead in provisional parliamentary results after a vote marked by a sharp drop in turnout. The party won 97 of the 395 seats in parliament, according to the interior minister, putting it ahead of its senior coalition partner, the National Rally of Independents. The result leaves Morocco facing coalition negotiations before a new government can be formed.
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Official provisional figures put the National Rally of Independents on 66 seats and the Istiqlal Party on 65. The Justice and Development Party, which won 13 seats in 2021, rose to 54 seats in the latest count. Turnout fell to 38.02 percent, down from 50 percent in the previous election, highlighting weaker participation in a contest that was closely watched across the country.
Under Morocco's 2011 constitution, King Mohammed VI appoints the prime minister from the largest party, which places PAM in line to lead the next government if the provisional result is confirmed. No single party is expected to win an outright majority, so coalition building will be required. PAM leaders have ruled out another partnership with the National Rally of Independents, adding uncertainty to the talks that will follow.
The result matters because the next government will inherit pressure over jobs, wages and the cost of living after last year's deadly Gen Z-led protests. It will also oversee major spending plans as Morocco prepares to cohost the 2030 World Cup. PAM campaigned on a $37bn platform promising one million new jobs, higher wages and continued investment in healthcare and social protection, making the election outcome closely tied to economic expectations.
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The vote was the first since the protests, and it has also revived questions about how Morocco's political system balances elected parties with royal authority. While the prime minister comes from the largest party, the palace traditionally retains control over key portfolios such as defence and foreign affairs. That framework means the final shape of the government will depend not only on the seat count, but also on negotiations among political allies and the limits of coalition arithmetic.
Among the names being discussed for the premiership are PAM's Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri and Fouzi Lekjaa, the budget minister and head of the football federation, who joined the party weeks before the vote. It is not yet clear which coalition will emerge or how quickly a government can be formed. The next stage will be the formal confirmation of results and talks over cabinet posts, with attention on whether PAM can secure enough partners to govern.
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