Morocco: PAM wins legislative elections with 97 seats, turnout drops to 38%
The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the Moroccan legislative elections on September 23, 2026, with 97 seats out of the 395 in the House of Representatives, according to results announced on September 24 by Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit and reported by France 24 and Africanews. The vote was marked by a turnout of approximately 38%, the lowest in nearly twenty years.
The RNI retreats, the PJD returns
The National Rally of Independents (RNI) of outgoing head of government Aziz Akhannouch secured 66 seats, about thirty fewer than in 2021, according to France 24. The Istiqlal party, the third member of the outgoing coalition, won 65. The surprise came from the Justice and Development Party (PJD, Islamist), which went from 13 to 54 seats after its 2021 defeat.
Lacking an absolute majority, the PAM will have to build a new alliance. In accordance with the Constitution, King Mohammed VI will appoint the head of government from the party that came in first. According to France 24, the mayor of Marrakech, Fatima Zahra El Mansouri, a prominent PAM figure, is cited among the favorites: she could become the first woman to lead a Moroccan government. Questioned by Africanews, she stated that the matter had not yet been discussed.
Youth shunning the ballot box
Approximately 6 million voters turned out out of 15.8 million registered, compared to a turnout of about 50% in 2021, according to Africanews. Those aged 18-24 represent only 4% of registered voters. The youth collective GenZ 212, which organized protests against the cost of living and the state of public services, had called for a boycott of the election.
The campaign focused on employment, purchasing power, health, education, and housing. It took place two months after the Ceuta migration crisis, where more than 72,000 people entered in July, according to Africanews, an episode that highlighted the desperation of a portion of the youth.
What comes next
The future government will have to address these social expectations in a system where the palace retains control over strategic sectors. The main challenge will be to restore the confidence of citizens, particularly the youth, who overwhelmingly chose to abstain.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
