Al Jazeera has faced criticism for using a map of Morocco that shows a visible line separating the country's southern provinces from the rest of the nation in its coverage of the legislative elections. The map was published in a digital item titled "Morocco's Elections: The Competition Map," which examined the electoral competition and participation of 28 political parties in the race for 395 seats in the House of Representatives.
The graphic drew reactions from Moroccan social media users, who questioned the use of the line on the map. Critics viewed the representation as suggesting a separation between the southern provinces and the rest of the country. This criticism emerged as Morocco holds its legislative elections, with voters choosing members of the House of Representatives in an election involving 28 parties and two lists of independent candidates.
The electoral field includes 1,615 local lists with 5,505 candidates, alongside 235 regional lists reserved for women. The controversy over the map is not the first time Al Jazeera has faced criticism over its depiction of Morocco. Earlier this year, on May 11, Al Jazeera English used a map during coverage of Qatar's solidarity with Morocco that showed Morocco without its southern provinces.
Morocco has been promoting its 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara, with several countries expressing support for the proposal. France, the United States, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom are among the countries that have expressed support for the plan, while the European Union has described genuine autonomy as a feasible basis for a political settlement.
Recently, Chile and Panama reaffirmed their support for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara and backed the autonomy proposal during meetings in New York. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita stated that there is "no solution" to the Sahara dispute outside an autonomy framework under Moroccan sovereignty.
Bourita's comments came before the UN General Assembly in New York, where he also mentioned that UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025, had created a new dynamic toward resolving the dispute. The resolution calls for negotiations under UN auspices based on Morocco's autonomy initiative.
The incident highlights the sensitivity surrounding the representation of Morocco's territorial integrity, particularly with regards to the Western Sahara region. The use of the divided map by Al Jazeera has sparked a renewed debate on the issue, with many Moroccans expressing their disapproval on social media.
Key points
- Al Jazeera faced criticism for using a divided Morocco map in its legislative election coverage.
- The map showed a visible line separating the country's southern provinces from the rest of the nation.
- Morocco has been promoting its 2007 autonomy plan for Western Sahara, with several countries expressing support for the proposal.
