Morocco's PAM leads in parliamentary election with record low turnout

Morocco's centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has won the most seats in the September 23, 2026 parliamentary election, securing 97 of 395 seats. The governing National Rally of Independents (RNI) suffered major losses, falling to 66 seats, while the Islamist Justice and Development Party surged to 54. The election was marked by a record-low turnout of 38 percent, driven by severe voter apathy, high youth unemployment, and public frustration over costly infrastructure projects for the 2030 World Cup.

PAM election victory

• ▪The Authenticity and Modernity Party was founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close adviser to King Mohammed VI, to serve as a political counterweight to the Justice and Development Party
• ▪Morocco's centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party won the largest number of seats in the parliamentary election held on September 23, 2026, according to provisional results

Parliamentary seat distribution

• ▪The moderate Islamist opposition Justice and Development Party made a comeback, surging to 54 seats in the September 23, 2026 election after winning only 13 seats in 2021
• ▪The National Rally of Independents, which headed the outgoing governing coalition, suffered major losses and came in second with 66 seats in the September 23, 2026 election
• ▪The Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives during the September 23, 2026 election
• ▪The right-wing Istiqlal Party secured 65 seats in the September 23, 2026 parliamentary election

Record low voter turnout

• ▪The voter turnout for Morocco's parliamentary election on September 23, 2026 was 38 percent, marking the lowest level since 2007 when turnout was 36.8 percent
• ▪The 38 percent voter turnout in Morocco's parliamentary election on September 23, 2026 fell significantly short of the 50 percent turnout recorded during Morocco's 2021 parliamentary election

Youth voter disengagement

• ▪In September 2025, a youth-led Gen-Z protest movement held street demonstrations in Morocco to demand improvements in public healthcare and education
• ▪Morocco's parliamentary election came less than two months after a mass migration crisis where tens of thousands of young Moroccans attempted to cross Morocco's northern border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta
• ▪Only about four percent of registered voters for the September 23, 2026 Moroccan parliamentary election were aged 18 to 24

Public service grievances

• ▪The Authenticity and Modernity Party's campaign, supported by Budget Minister Fouzi Lekjaa, pledged to increase wages and improve purchasing power for young people
• ▪Moroccan voters expressed widespread frustration ahead of the September 23, 2026 election regarding high unemployment, inequality, failing public services, and the rising cost of living

Economic growth infrastructure spending

• ▪Morocco has posted economic growth and is ramping up major infrastructure projects as it prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal
• ▪Arab Reform Initiative researcher Lamia Elfehaim stated that Morocco's sporting investments for the 2030 World Cup are viewed by some as out of step with local priorities like public services and rural isolation

Debatable claims

• ▪Morocco's record-low voter turnout undermines the legitimacy of its new parliament
• ▪Morocco should prioritize local public services over 2030 World Cup infrastructure spending