Moroccans vote for new parliament
Saturday, 8 September 2007
RABAT, Sept 7 (AFP): Moroccans voted Friday in elections expected to result in gains for the main opposition Islamist party and throw up a new challenge for the reforming King Mohammed VI.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which has vowed to take on corruption, could become the largest single party after a vote that the north African head of state and those competing fear will be marked by a low turnout.
Since taking over from his father in 1999, Mohammed VI has sought to modernise Morocco.
Nobody expects the king to choose a prime minister from the PJD, even though it is a moderate outfit that takes no issue with royal rule. The electoral system allows none of the 33 competing parties to get a ruling majority, and no mainstream party wants to link up with the PJD.
But PJD secretary general Saad Eddine Othmani still predicts that his party will win at least one million of the 15.5 million eligible votes and at least 70 seats in the 325-deputy chamber.
Polls opened at 8:00 am (0800 GMT) and were scheduled to close at 7:00pm, with a definitive result expected to be announced on Sunday.
The parties mostly fall under three main headings: the left and centre-right parties that are part of the current governing coalition; Islamist formations, including the PJD, which is currently the main opposition; and leftist groups that are part of an alliance.
The electoral system makes it difficult for any single party to gain an absolute majority. The PJD was kept out of the outgoing coalition and mainstream parties are unlikely to link up with them this time either.
One of the main concerns for the king and all those competing in the elections is the fear of a low voter turn-out, which has dropped from 67 per cent in 1984 polls to 52 per cent in 2002.
The PJD won 42 seats in 2002 but was kept out of the governing coalition. That was led by Driss Jettou, then a non-politician chosen by the king to head a five-party coalition including the Union of Socialist Popular Forces (USFP) and the nationalist Istiqlal party.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD), which has vowed to take on corruption, could become the largest single party after a vote that the north African head of state and those competing fear will be marked by a low turnout.
Since taking over from his father in 1999, Mohammed VI has sought to modernise Morocco.
Nobody expects the king to choose a prime minister from the PJD, even though it is a moderate outfit that takes no issue with royal rule. The electoral system allows none of the 33 competing parties to get a ruling majority, and no mainstream party wants to link up with the PJD.
But PJD secretary general Saad Eddine Othmani still predicts that his party will win at least one million of the 15.5 million eligible votes and at least 70 seats in the 325-deputy chamber.
Polls opened at 8:00 am (0800 GMT) and were scheduled to close at 7:00pm, with a definitive result expected to be announced on Sunday.
The parties mostly fall under three main headings: the left and centre-right parties that are part of the current governing coalition; Islamist formations, including the PJD, which is currently the main opposition; and leftist groups that are part of an alliance.
The electoral system makes it difficult for any single party to gain an absolute majority. The PJD was kept out of the outgoing coalition and mainstream parties are unlikely to link up with them this time either.
One of the main concerns for the king and all those competing in the elections is the fear of a low voter turn-out, which has dropped from 67 per cent in 1984 polls to 52 per cent in 2002.
The PJD won 42 seats in 2002 but was kept out of the governing coalition. That was led by Driss Jettou, then a non-politician chosen by the king to head a five-party coalition including the Union of Socialist Popular Forces (USFP) and the nationalist Istiqlal party.