Nizar Baraka, secretary-general of Morocco's Istiqlal Party, retracted a statement on Saturday, October 3, 2026, claiming that the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) had decided to exclude the National Rally of Independents (RNI) from the next government. Baraka made the initial announcement at the close of his address to Istiqlal's National Council, which had convened to assess the September 23 legislative elections and weigh the party's participation in the incoming government.
The initial claim drew prolonged applause and cheers from the council floor. However, moments later, Baraka clarified that the information passed to him was not precise enough to stand. A source within Istiqlal told Médias24 that Baraka had acted on inaccurate information. PAM also issued a denial, confirming that its National Council took no decision to bar the RNI from the future majority.
The episode unfolded as coalition talks remain unsettled following the September 23 vote. PAM finished first and opened consultations with parties represented in parliament. An RNI delegation led by the party's president, Mohamed Chouki, met PAM's leadership on Wednesday in the first round of those talks. The RNI's position carries significant weight in coalition arithmetic, having placed second with 66 seats.
King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, coordinator of PAM's collective leadership, as head of government on October 3, 2026. She is the first woman to hold the post, 18 years after PAM's founding. El Mansouri pointed to the 38% turnout in the recent vote as a challenge for the parties. Istiqlal's National Council delegated the management of talks to Baraka, while PAM's National Council voted to delegate the negotiation mandate to El Mansouri and a consultation committee.
The RNI expressed its readiness to join the next government at a political bureau meeting in Rabat on Wednesday, leaving the final decision to its National Council, which was set to meet on Saturday. During closed-door debates, some PAM participants called for keeping the RNI out of the next government, but these positions did not translate into a council ruling.
With no majority formula settled before Saturday's meetings, the shape of the next coalition remains open. PAM won 97 seats, short of the 198 needed for a majority in the 395-seat House of Representatives, necessitating coalition building. The party must navigate negotiations with other parties to form a government.
The developments highlight the complexities of Moroccan politics, where coalition building is crucial. The involvement of various parties, including Istiqlal, PAM, and RNI, will determine the country's future government. As negotiations continue, the final composition of the next government remains uncertain.
Key points
- Istiqlal's Nizar Baraka retracts claim that PAM barred RNI from next government due to inaccurate information.
- PAM and RNI engage in coalition talks, with RNI expressing readiness to join the next government.
- The final composition of Morocco's next government remains uncertain amid ongoing coalition negotiations.
