A delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) observed Morocco's September 23 parliamentary elections, finding that they provided voters with a broad political choice and were efficiently administered. However, the observers noted that the vote exposed deeper problems for representative democracy, rooted in weak participation. Turnout reached only 38.02% of registered voters, which PACE calculated as fewer than one in four Moroccans of voting age.
The low turnout, combined with a significant number of blank and invalid ballots, raised broader questions about political trust and meaningful representation. PACE delegation head Elisabetta Gardini of Italy emphasized that democracy is measured not only by how elections are run but also by whether institutions inspire enough confidence for citizens to take part. The delegation welcomed steps to widen participation, including the 90 regional-list seats reserved for women, but found that formal opportunities had yet to translate into real political influence.
Youth disengagement remained a central concern, reflected in strikingly low participation among young people. PACE repeated its long-standing call for automatic registration of all eligible citizens, arguing that the right to vote should not depend on a separate administrative application. The delegation also urged Morocco to let its more than six million citizens abroad vote personally and secretly, warning that proxy voting cannot adequately protect individual choice or ballot secrecy.
Rebuilding confidence, according to Gardini, would take more than promises or new digital tools. Trust grows when citizens can see that their vote has equal weight, that institutions are accountable, and that participation can genuinely shape public decisions. The observers also flagged persistent inequalities in the weight of votes, the effects of an electoral quotient based on registered voters, and a media environment where economic concentration and broad restrictions on expression can narrow genuine debate.
The next electoral reform, PACE argued, should place equal suffrage, political pluralism, and open public debate at its center. The delegation voiced concern over recurring allegations of vote-buying and of ballots directed through economic or hierarchical pressure. Such claims, it argued, require prompt and thorough investigation, with effective sanctions where violations are confirmed.
The 24-member, cross-party delegation deployed 12 teams across Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, and Marrakech and surrounding areas, measuring the process against Council of Europe standards and the commitments Morocco's parliament undertook as a PACE Partner for Democracy. A final report will go before the Assembly in January 2027. Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit said 3,006 observers monitored the elections, including 2,023 from civil society organizations, 783 from the National Council of Human Rights (CNDH), and 200 foreign observers representing NGOs and international and regional bodies.
The post-election findings followed an earlier visit, during which a five-member PACE delegation traveled to Rabat from August 31 to September 2, at the invitation of CNDH. The provisional results from the Interior Ministry gave the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, Morocco's lower house. The PAM will need to build a coalition, with the next head of government appointed by the king from its ranks.
Key points
- Low voter turnout of 38.02% raises concerns about political trust and representation in Morocco.
- PACE observers welcome steps to widen participation but note that formal opportunities have yet to translate into real political influence.
- The delegation calls for electoral reform, focusing on equal suffrage, political pluralism, and open public debate.
