The Party of Authenticity and Modernity topped the provisional results of Morocco’s legislative elections held on Wednesday 23 September 2026, winning 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives and ahead of its partners in the outgoing government, the National Rally of Independents and the Istiqlal Party.
Morocco’s Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit said the National Rally of Independents came second with 66 seats, while the Istiqlal Party ranked third with 65 seats, one seat behind the Rally. The Justice and Development Party won 54 seats, returning to the ranks of the House of Representatives’ four largest forces after winning 13 seats in the 2021 elections.
The Popular Movement followed with 29 seats, then the Socialist Union of Popular Forces with 26, the Party of Progress and Socialism with 19, and the Constitutional Union with 17. The remaining seats were split between the Democratic and Social Movement and the Alliance of the Left, with 8 seats each; the Democratic Forces Front and the Equitability Party won 2 seats each, while the New Democrats Party and the Unity and Democracy Party each secured one seat.
Shifting balance of power among the parties
The results showed a shift in the balance of power compared with the 2021 elections, with the Party of Authenticity and Modernity increasing its tally from 87 to 97 seats, while the National Rally of Independents, which led the previous government, fell from 102 to 66 seats.
The Istiqlal Party’s tally also fell from 81 to 65 seats, while the Justice and Development Party rose from 13 to 54 seats. Laftit said turnout stood at 38.08% nationwide, compared with 50.86% in the 2021 elections and 42.27% in 2016, noting that the number of participants in the 23 September vote approached 6 million voters, out of an electorate of 15.8 million registered voters.
Some regions recorded turnout rates above the national average, reaching 77% in Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, 61% in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab and 53.48% in Guelmim-Oued Noun, according to figures announced by the Interior Minister.
Turnout and election monitoring
Laftit said voting took place under normal conditions across the kingdom’s various regions, apart from isolated incidents that, he said, did not affect the conduct of the electoral process. He added that violations and complaints recorded during the campaign had been handled in accordance with the law, while cases raising suspicions of unlawful acts were referred to the competent authorities.
Twenty-eight political bodies, including an alliance comprising two parties, submitted a total of 1,847 lists in local and regional electoral districts, featuring 7,277 male and female candidates. The number of female candidates stood at 2,659, accounting for nearly 37% of all candidates. They included 1,783 candidates in regional districts and 876 in local districts, while 120 women headed local lists.
Negotiations to form the next government
The provisional results place the Party of Authenticity and Modernity at the forefront of efforts to form the next government, as Article 47 of Morocco’s Constitution stipulates that the King appoints the head of government from the political party that tops elections to the House of Representatives. However, the party did not secure the absolute majority of 198 seats on its own, making the formation of the government dependent on negotiations and alliances among the parties represented in Parliament.
The Party of Authenticity and Modernity, the National Rally of Independents and the Istiqlal Party together hold 228 seats, a total exceeding the majority threshold. However, the shape of the next coalition will depend on consultations following the announcement of the results and the completion of constitutional procedures.
During its election campaign, the Party of Authenticity and Modernity put forward economic and social pledges, including exempting salaries below 15,000 dirhams from tax and providing 100,000 housing solutions for young people. The implementation of these commitments now depends on the party’s ability to lead a parliamentary majority and form the new government.
