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The Justice and Development Party won only 12 seats in the 395-member parliament, while the National Rally of Independents (NRI) won 97 seats.
According to the interim results announced by the Minister of the Interior, Morocco’s long-ruling party was defeated by its liberal rivals in parliamentary elections.
The approval rating of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) fell from 125 seats to just 12, far behind its main liberal opposition, the National Rally of Independents (NRI) and the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and The Istiqlal Party (PI) of the center-right wing. The results were announced earlier on Thursday.
At the NRI headquarters, celebrations erupted when it was announced by election officials that the party won at least 97 seats, so far the highest among the parties that contested the polls.
PAM ranked second with 82 seats, followed by PI with 78 seats.
The voter turnout in the parliamentary election on Wednesday was slightly higher than 50%, which was higher than in 2016.
The new voting rules are expected to make it more difficult for larger parties to win as many seats as before. Analysts say this may cost the moderate PJD, which has been the largest party in the past two parliaments.
Morocco officially implements a constitutional monarchy, but the king has extensive powers. He elected the prime minister from the party that won the most seats in the parliament with 395 members and appointed the main ministers.
The palace has also set an economic agenda for this North African country with a population of 37 million, and has commissioned the new government to implement a development model.
The dominant role of the monarchy means that political parties support similar platforms, focusing on education, health, employment, and social welfare.
# Elections_2021 /Congressman
After counting 96% of the votes, activists at the National Assembly of Independents celebrated the party’s leading position in the results with 97 seats. @Parts_RNI pic.twitter.com/lbsys696Cg
— 2M.ma (@2MInteractive) September 9, 2021
[Translation: Activists of the National Rally of Independents celebrate the party’s lead in the results with 97 seats after 96 percent of the votes were counted.]
“Why should I vote? I don’t expect voting to improve my situation, because politicians only care about themselves,” said a staff member of a hotel in Rabat whose name is Khalid.
When leaving a polling station in Rabat, a pensioner named Ibrahim said: “I voted for the young people of a political party that provides a realistic commitment to develop this country.”
Although it has been the largest political party since 2011, the PJD has failed to prevent the laws it opposes, including a law that supports French in education and another law that allows marijuana to be used for medical purposes.
The new voting rules are considered by PJD leaders to be introduced specifically for their majority shares, changing the way seats are allocated.
In a statement on Wednesday, PJD accused competitors of violating election rules, including buying votes, but did not provide any details.
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