Morocco

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Parliamentary elections were held in Morocco on 7 September 2007,^[1] the second of King Mohammed VI's reign. Voter turnout was estimated to be 37%, the lowest in Moroccan political history.^[2]

There were 33 different parties and 13 independent candidates competing for 325 assembly seats. An amount of $61 million was allocated by the Moroccan government to organize the 2007 elections.^[3] The number of constituencies was increased from 91 to 95 before this election.^[4] Although Interior minister Chakib Benmoussa claimed the changes were made "in accordance with objectivity and transparency"^[4], there have been accusations of gerrymandering in order to prevent the Islamist Justice and Development Party winning.^[5]However, an analysis of the results of the 2007 elections (votes/seats) shows no disadvantage for the Justice and Development Party [1]

According to many analysts the complex voting system makes it almost impossible for any group to win an outright majority, although others have disagreed with this view, arguing that the electoral system is not particularly unusual and should favor large parties.[2]. Whatever the outcome, real power will remain with the king, who is executive head of state, military chief and religious leader. ^[6]

Maguy Kakon of the Social Center Party became the first Jewish woman to run for parliament in the election.^[7] For the first time in the history of elections in Morocco, they are being monitored by foreign observers including the U.S.'s National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and 42 others.^[3]

Turnout in the election was only 37% - the lowest in the history of Moroccan national elections. The Socialist Union of People's Forces (USFP), the largest party in the outgoing government lost nearly a quarter of its seats, and was replaced as the largest party by its coalition partner, the Istiqlal Party. The main gainers were the pro-government liberal People's Movement and Constitutional Union parties. The opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party had a modest increase in its tally as did the pro-government leftist Party of Progress and Socialism.

Following the election the USFP was expected to leave the governing coalition.^[8] Istiqlal Party leader Abbas El Fassi became PM on 19 September 2007.

[edit] Results

e • d Summary of the 7 September 2007 Assembly of Representatives of Morocco election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
Independence Party (Hizb al-Istiqlal/Parti d'Independence) *	494,256	10.7	52	+4
Justice and Development Party (Parti de la Justice et du Développement)	503,396	10.9	46	+4
Popular Movement (Mouvement Populaire) *	426,849	9.3	41	+14
National Rally of Independents (Rassemblement National des Indépendents) *	447,244	9.7	39	–4
Socialist Union of Popular Forces (Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires) *	408,945	8.9	38	–12
Constitutional Union (Union Constitutionelle)	335,116	7.3	27	+11
Party of Progress and Socialism (Parti du Progrès et du Socialisme) *	248,103	5.4	17	+6
PND–Al Ahd Union (Union PND–Al Ahd) × Joint list × National Democratic Party (Parti National-Démocrate) × Covenant Party (Parti Al Ahd)	253,816 139,688 56,176 57,952	5.5 3.0 1.2 1.3	14 8 3 3	–3
Front of Democratic Forces (Front des Forces Démocratiques)	207,982	4.5	9	–3
Democratic and Social Movement (Mouvement Démocratique et Social)	168,960	3.7	9	+2
PADS–CNI–PSU Union (Union PADS–CNI–PSU) × Joint list × National Congress Party (Parti du Congrès National Ittihadi) × Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party (Parti de l'Avant-garde Démocratique Socialiste) × United Socialist Party (Parti socialiste unifié)	148,011 98,202 25,695 3,761 20,353	3.2 2.1 0.6 0.1 0.4	6 5 1 — —	+5
Labour Party (Parti Travailliste)	140,224	3.0	5	+5
Environment and Development Party (Parti de l'Environnement et du Développement)	131,524	2.9	5	+3
Party of Renewal and Equity (Parti de Renouveau et de l'Équité)	83,516	1.8	4	+4
Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste)	67,786	1.5	2	+2
Moroccan Union for Democracy (Union Marocaine pour la Démocratie)	76,795	1.7	2	+2
Citizens' Forces (Forces Citoyennes)	31,207	0.7	1	–1
Alliance of Liberties (Alliance des Libertés)	34,801	0.8	1	–3
Citizenship and Development Initiative (Initiative Citoyenneté et Développement)	50,278	1.1	1	+1
Party of Renaissance and Virtue (Parti de la Renaissance et de la Vertu)	36,781	0.8	1	+1
Reform and Development Party (Parti de la Réforme et du Développement)	47,141	1.0	0	–3
Moroccan Liberal Party (Parti Marocain Libéral)	46,526	1.0	0	–3
Democratic Independence Party (Parti Démocratique et de l'Indépendance)	31,105	0.7	0	–2
Action Party (Parti de l'Action)	24,384	0.5	0	±0
Social Centre Party (Parti du Centre Social)	22,826	0.5	0	±0
Party of Hope (Parti de l'Espoir)	16,376	0.4	0	±0
Party of al-Badil al-Hadari (Parti d'al-Badil al-Hadari)	15,600	0.3	0	±0
Democratic Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste Démocratique)	10,973	0.2	0	–6
Renaissance Party (Parti Annahda)	10,156	0.2	0	±0
Party of Liberty and Social Justice (Parti de la Liberté et de la Justice Sociale)	5,452	0.1	0	±0
Others		1.7	5	+5
Total (turnout 37%)			325
Source: MAP
* Members of the outgoing coalition government

[edit] External links

• Official 2007 elections website (Arabic) and (French)

[edit] References

v • d • e Elections and referendums in Morocco Parliamentary elections 1963 · 1970 · 1977 · 1984 · 1993 · 1997 · 2002 · 2007 Referendums 1962 · 1972