Morocco's General Prosecution has reported that it received a total of 93 election complaints between August 21 and September 15, 2026. This number marks a significant decrease compared to the 229 complaints recorded during the 2021 legislative elections. According to the General Prosecution, this represents a drop of over 300% in election complaints.
The complaints received in 2026 were thoroughly examined, with decisions made in 92% of the cases. The new legal provisions introduced by Law 53.25, which amended and supplemented the regulatory law 27.11 related to the House of Representatives, and Law 55.25, which amended and supplemented the law 57.11 related to general electoral lists and referendum operations, played a crucial role in this decrease.
The complaints filed in 2026 primarily concerned 54 acts, including the dissemination of false news or claims, fake documents, or manipulated information through various media, including social networks, open broadcasting networks, artificial intelligence tools, or online platforms. These acts aimed to harm the private life of voters or candidates, or to tarnish their reputation.
In addition to these complaints, seven cases were related to practices aimed at influencing the votes of a body of voters or some of them, including offering gifts, donations, promises, or administrative favors to a local group or a group of citizens. Three cases concerned conducting election campaigns in places of worship, educational institutions, or public administrations.
Other complaints included cases of posting election advertisements outside designated areas, using public or local government resources for election campaigns, and publishing paid political advertisements on foreign online platforms. Two complaints concerned the hiring of individuals to disrupt public security.
The General Prosecution also reported that 39 complaints concerned acts that did not have a criminal nature. The institution noted that the diversity of acts committed during the 2026 legislative elections, particularly through the use of digital space and information systems, justified the legislator's efforts to address these issues through the amendments made to the regulatory law 27.11 and law 57.11.
The General Prosecution's report also highlighted that 22 complaints were related to acts committed through social networks, open broadcasting networks, and information systems between August 31 and September 16, 2026. This emphasizes the growing importance of monitoring and regulating online activities during election periods.
Key points
- A total of 93 election complaints were recorded in Morocco between August 21 and September 15, 2026.
- The complaints primarily concerned the dissemination of false news or claims, and practices aimed at influencing voters.
- The number of complaints represents a significant decrease compared to the 2021 legislative elections.
