Moroccan centrist party tops parliament vote after boost from football chief

Key Points:

• The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), a liberal centrist party founded by a royal adviser, emerged as the leading party in Morocco's parliamentary elections, boosted by the recruitment of Fouzi Lekjaa, the football federation chief credited with Morocco's 2022 World Cup success.
• Despite PAM's win, the election is not expected to significantly alter Morocco's political balance, as the king retains substantial powers, but the new parliament will influence preparations for the 2030 World Cup and address youth economic discontent.
• PAM secured 97 seats in the 395-seat parliament, up from 87 in 2021, while the ruling National Rally of Independents (RNI) fell to second place with 66 seats; PAM has ruled out forming a coalition with RNI due to policy disagreements.
• The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) rebounded to 54 seats, helped by the return of leader Abdelilah Benkirane, reflecting Morocco's political stability despite shifts in party fortunes.
• Voter turnout dropped to about 38%, down from 50% in 2016, indicating declining trust in elected institutions, with only 15.8 million of the 27 million eligible Moroccans registered to vote.