Moroccans vote in parliament election under new voting rules

Morocco held a parliamentary election on Wednesday with indications of lacklustre turnout and new rules that were expected to make it much harder for the moderate Islamist PJD to remain as the biggest party.

Morocco held a parliamentary election on Wednesday with indications of lacklustre turnout and new rules that were expected to make it much harder for the moderate Islamist PJD to remain as the biggest party. Voter participation was only 36% two hours before polls closed at 1800 GMT, with preliminary results and final turnout figures expected to be released overnight.

Turnout in parliamentary elections has historically been low. In a bid to improve turnout, they were scheduled this year on the same day as municipal and regional elections, which usually have higher participation. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy where the king holds sweeping powers. He picks the prime minister from the party that wins most seats in parliament and appoints key ministers.

The palace also sets the economic agenda for the country of 37 million people and has commissioned a new development model that the new government is asked to implement. The monarchy's dominant role means political parties espouse similar platforms focusing on education, health, employment and social welfare.

"Why should I vote? I do not expect voting to improve my situation because politicians care only about themselves,” said a worker at a hotel in Rabat who said his name was Khalid. "I voted for a young man from a party that offers realistic promises to develop this country," Ibrahim, a pensioner, said as he was leaving a polling station in Rabat.

Despite having been the largest party since 2011, the PJD has failed to stop laws it opposes, including one to bolster the French language in education and another to allow cannabis for medical use. The new voting rules, seen by PJD leaders as having been introduced specifically to target their majority, change the way seats are allocated, making it harder for large parties to gain many seats.

In a statement on Wednesday PJD accused rivals of violations including buying votes, without providing any details. Morocco’s economy is expected to grow 5.8% this year after it contracted by 6.8% last year under the combined impact of the pandemic and drought.

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