Morocco's 2026 legislative elections recorded a national voter turnout of 38.02%, according to the Interior Ministry. This figure marks a significant drop from the 50.35% recorded in the 2021 vote. The elections, which were held on September 23, 2026, saw polling stations across the country close at 7 p.m. after opening at 8 a.m. The ministry compiled its national rate from figures reported by prefectures and provinces.
The 38.02% turnout is just above the 37% recorded in 2007, which was then the lowest in Morocco's electoral history. For comparison, previous turnouts stood at 37% in 2007, rose to 45.4% in 2011, edged down to 43% in 2016, and reached 50.35% in 2021. This year's vote was the 12th legislative election since Morocco's independence and the sixth since King Mohammed VI took the throne in 1999.
A total of 1,850 lists carried 7,288 candidates, including 2,658 women, or 36.47% of the total, competing for the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. More than 15.8 million voters were registered on the general electoral lists. The elections featured 28 political formations, including an alliance created for this contest, along with two independent lists.
The voting process proceeded under normal conditions across all regions of the kingdom, with a few isolated cases at a limited number of polling stations. Once polls closed, counting began in the presence of representatives of the candidate lists. The process first covers the local electoral districts, then the regional ones.
The outcome of the elections will determine the next government, with the King appointing the head of government from the party that comes first in the vote. The head of government then proposes the other ministers for appointment by the King. Coalition talks are expected to follow, as a governing majority requires at least 198 of the 395 seats.
The 2021 election results offer a reference point, with the National Rally of Independents (RNI) coming first with 102 seats, followed by the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) with 87 and the Istiqlal Party with 81. These parties formed a coalition holding 270 seats, and Aziz Akhannouch of the RNI became head of government.
The first provisional results of the 2026 elections are expected to be announced on Thursday, with the Interior Ministry proclaiming the final results in the following days. The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which had led the government for a decade, fell from 125 seats to 13 in the 2021 election.
Key points
- The voter turnout for Morocco's 2026 legislative elections was 38.02%, down from 50.35% in 2021.
- A total of 7,288 candidates competed for the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.
- The outcome of the elections will determine the next government, with coalition talks expected to follow.
