Islamists on track to defeat liberals in Moroccan elections, according to preliminary results
Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad said the election was “transparent” and had gone well, rejecting accusations of voter fraud from both sides
The Islamist party which has headed Morocco’s coalition government since Arab-spring inspired protests five years ago has defeated liberal rivals in parliamentary elections, according to official partial results.
The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) took 99 seats while the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) – which had campaigned against the “Islamisation” of Moroccan society – took 80 with 90 per cent of the vote counted, the Interior Ministry said.
Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad said the election was “transparent” and had gone well, rejecting accusations of voter fraud from both sides.
The PJD earlier issued a statement saying it was “very concerned about numerous reports of fraud being carried out by authorities” in favour of the PAM, and called on the interior ministry to “urgently intervene”.
I came to carry out my duty as a citizen. Our Morocco needs a healthy democracy
PAM spokesman Khalid Adennoun declined to comment but said that his party had filed “50 complaints” of voting irregularities, some concerning the PJD in Tangiers.
An Islamist candidate was attacked and wounded outside a polling station in Rabat, according to local media. A video shared on social networks also showed a man stuffing a ballot box, leading the PJD to file a complaint, media reported.