The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) has concluded that Morocco's September 23 legislative elections took place in a free, reliable, and transparent manner. The finding appears in the preliminary statement of the Francophonie Electoral Mission (MEF), issued in Rabat on September 25. The OIF, which brings together 90 states and governments, accompanied the electoral process across the French-speaking space.
The Francophonie Electoral Mission was deployed at the invitation of the President of Morocco's National Human Rights Council (CNDH), Amina Bouayach. The mission was led by Andre-Magnus Ekoumou, Cameroon's Ambassador to France and personal representative of Cameroon's head of state to the OIF. The team included experts from OIF member states and governments, as well as representatives from Benin's High Court of Justice and Canada's House of Commons.
Before the vote, the OIF supported the deployment of observers from the Associative Collective for Election Observation (CAOE) and backed SimSim, an organization promoting civic participation through digital technology. The mission's pre-election assessment found that Morocco's legal framework respects democratic election principles, with amendments aimed at strengthening candidate integrity and increasing participation of women and young people.
On election day, mission members visited 34 polling stations and received findings from the CAOE, which deployed 1,622 observers nationwide with OIF support. Polling stations opened and closed on time, and electoral materials were available at all stations visited. However, voter lists were not systematically posted outside polling stations, and some irregularities were recorded.
The mission reported low voter mobilization, with a turnout of 38.02%, according to its statement. The Interior Ministry reported a slightly different figure, with Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit announcing a national turnout of 38.08%. Nearly 6 million of the 15.8 million registered voters cast ballots across 40,694 polling stations.
The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) came first with 97 seats, followed by the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 seats, and the Istiqlal Party with 65 seats. A total of 28 parties submitted 1,847 lists with 7,277 candidates, including 2,659 women, about 37% of all candidacies. The OIF mission will issue a final report with recommendations to consolidate Morocco's electoral framework.
The OIF hailed Moroccan voters for fulfilling their civic duty with a sense of responsibility and demonstrating attachment to the democratic exercise of their rights. The mission urged all parties to use only legal channels to contest the outcome and maintain a calm climate throughout the process. The delegation concluded by thanking the Moroccan people for the warm welcome it received and national authorities for facilitating its deployment.
Key points
- The OIF found that Morocco's legislative elections were free, reliable, and transparent.
- The mission reported low voter mobilization, with a turnout of 38.02%.
- The Authenticity and Modernity Party came first with 97 seats.
