Parliamentary Elections : Big Setback For Morocco’s Ruling Party

Moroccans have witnessed an unprecedented political revolution in a decade following the crushing defeat of the ruling party, Justice and Development (PJD), in Parliamentary elections by their rivals, National Rally of Independents (NRI), in Parliamentary elections. According to provisional results announced by the interior minister, the Justice and Development Party saw its number of seats drop from 125 seats to just 12, far behind its main liberal opponents, the National Rally of Independents, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and the centre-right Istiqlal Party (PI).
Amongst NRI members, celebrations were going on nationwide 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 closely followed by PI with 78. The results were announced early on Thursday, September 9, 2021, forty-eight hours after the voting took place with the turnout said to be around 50%. 
New voting rules made it harder for bigger parties to win as many seats as before, something analysts said cost the moderate PJD, which has been the biggest party in the past two parliaments. Despite having been the largest party since 2011, the PJD has failed to stop laws it opp...