Morocco Election Campaign 2026: Key Facts

Political rivalry in Morocco is escalating in anticipation of the September 23 parliamentary election, as governing allies blame each other, political candidates change sides, and an audio leak reveals internal problems within the government coalition.

The official campaign period is set to begin on September 10, although candidate nomination started on August 31. On the first day, 702 candidate lists from 27 political parties were submitted, as reported by the Interior Ministry. About 15.8 million people have registered to vote in the election.

What Is Staked in Morocco’s Election?

Moroccans will choose representatives for the House of Representatives, which is the lower chamber of parliament.

The political party that wins more seats is likely to have the strongest claim to lead the formation of the next government. As per Morocco’s Constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the first party.

Nonetheless, the winner is not the sole decider of who governs. In Morocco, multiple political parties exist; hence the need to form coalitions in order to gain parliamentary support.

Currently, the RNI, PAM, and the Istiqlal are the ruling parties, yet they all compete for votes and power.

Why Do the Ruling Political Parties in Morocco Fight Each Other?

First of all, the internal conflict of the political coalition has come out in the open.

The leaked audio clip of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, criticized the budget minister Fouzi Lekjaa and doubted his position in the next government.

The leak caused reactions from the president of the RNI, Mohamed Chouki, and the head of the government, Aziz Akhannouch. Moreover, Fouzi Lekjaa denied the division of governmental posts before the voting.

The controversy underlines an aspect of this election: RNI, PAM and Istiqlal form the coalition, but they are opponents vying for legislative seats.

Who Are the Top Contenders?

The RNI won the most seats in the 2021 election, securing 102 seats; PAM won 87, and Istiqlal 81. Then these three parties formed the government coalition.

The opposition will seek to exploit voter discontent regarding price rises, unemployment and social services as a means of gaining political advantage.

The Justice and Development Party (PJD) will also be one to watch. After being in power from 2011 until 2021, PJD experienced a sudden decline, losing 112 seats from its initial number of 125. In a bid to regain its political clout, the party headed by former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane will have to struggle.

What Will Be the Issues That Decide This Election?

Job opportunities, cost of living, health care, and education might be among the major concerns of many voters in Morocco.

The government made a commitment to create at least one million net jobs in its 2021-2026 program. However, an analysis in the source material has shown that the net creation of jobs is approximately 95,000 by the end of 2025, while the government is measuring differently, claiming that 850,000 non-agricultural jobs were created between 2021 and 2025.

In addition, food prices may become a topic of discussion in the campaign period. The high price levels of sheep and meat have caused worries among the population, especially during Eid al-Adha, when it was difficult for many households to sacrifice.

Why Is the Ceuta Tragedy Important?

The mass crossing towards the Spanish-controlled territory of Ceuta on July 30 has brought up issues related to migration, youth frustration, and relations with Spain in the political debate.

At least 72,000 people made the crossing from Morocco, and as a consequence of that incident, deaths were recorded in both Morocco and Ceuta. Misinformation spread through social media has contributed to drawing the crowd towards the border.