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Add TN as a preferred source on GoogleThe Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) came first in Morocco’s legislative elections of September 23, 2026, winning 97 of the 395 seats. It was followed by the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 seats, Istiqlal with 65, and the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) with 54.
To understand this result from Tunisia, however, it is necessary to look beyond the acronyms: the election reshuffles the political hierarchy, marks the return of the PJD, and comes with turnout limited to 38.02 % of registered voters.
Who came first? PAM, with 97 seats out of 395.
Who lost the most ground? RNI, the leading party in 2021, fell from 102 to 66 seats.
Who returned? PJD, the Islamist party, rose from 13 to 54 seats.
Turnout: 38.02 % of registered voters, compared with 50.18 % in the 2021 triple election.
Change or continuity? The leading party has changed, but PAM, RNI and Istiqlal, the three components of the outgoing governing coalition, remain in the top three positions.
Full results: 97 seats for PAM
According to the official provisional results announced during the night of September 23-24 by Moroccan Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.
| Party | Reference for readers | Seats |
| PAM | Authenticity and Modernity Party | 97 |
| RNI | Party that led the governing coalition since 2021 | 66 |
| Istiqlal | Historic nationalist party | 65 |
| PJD | Islamist party | 54 |
| Popular Movement | MP | 29 |
| Socialist Union of Popular Forces | USFP | 26 |
| Party of Progress and Socialism | PPS | 19 |
| Constitutional Union | UC | 17 |
| Democratic and Social Movement | MDS | 8 |
| Left Alliance | Left | 8 |
| Front of Democratic Forces | FFD | 2 |
| Equity Party | — | 2 |
| Neo-Democrats Party | — | 1 |
| Unity and Democracy Party | PUD | 1 |
| Total | 395 |
Which political current came out on top?
The party that came first is therefore PAM. It should be clarified that it is neither an Islamist party nor a traditional left-wing party.
PAM is generally described as a liberal and centrist political formation. Created in 2008, the party positioned itself in particular against the PJD by advocating social modernization and more secular orientations.
PAM was not, however, in opposition during the previous parliamentary term. It was part of the governing coalition formed with RNI and Istiqlal since 2021.
In simple terms
Voters did not put a political formation that had previously been outside government in first place. Instead, they changed the balance of power within the trio that already dominated the outgoing majority: PAM moved ahead of RNI and Istiqlal.
RNI loses first place
In 2021, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) came comfortably first with 102 seats. It subsequently led the governing coalition with PAM and Istiqlal.
In 2026, it fell to 66 seats, a loss of 36 seats. It therefore moved from first to second place.
Aziz Akhannouch, the head of the outgoing government since 2021, did not stand in these elections after leaving the leadership of RNI in 2026.
Istiqlal remains a central force
With 65 seats, Istiqlal came third, just one seat behind RNI.
Istiqlal, literally the “Independence Party,” is one of Morocco’s oldest political formations. Founded in the context of the national independence movement, it has historically belonged to Morocco’s nationalist political current.
It held 81 seats in 2021 and therefore lost 16 seats in this election.
The PJD’s major comeback
The most striking change concerns the Justice and Development Party (PJD), an Islamist party that had led the Moroccan government for much of the previous decade.
After its electoral collapse in 2021, when the party fell to just 13 seats, it has now won 54 seats.
The gain amounts to 41 seats in five years. Reuters links this recovery, among other factors, to the return of former Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane to the leadership of the party.
The change is calculated from the official 2021 results published by the House of Representatives and the provisional 2026 results announced by the Interior Ministry.
Change or continuity?
Both readings are possible, provided that the composition of the dominant bloc is distinguished from the balance of power within it.
In 2021, RNI, PAM and Istiqlal formed the governing coalition. Together, they held 270 seats.
In 2026, the same three parties still occupy the top three positions and hold a combined 228 seats, which is 42 fewer seats.
TN perspective
There is therefore continuity among the main forces represented at the top, since the three parties that made up the outgoing majority remain the three leading parties.
But there is also an important change in their internal hierarchy: RNI has lost first place to PAM, while the PJD has regained a much larger parliamentary presence.
This arithmetic does not mean that the previous coalition will automatically be renewed. It simply shows that these three formations together have more than the 198 seats required for an absolute majority in the House of Representatives.
Why PAM’s first place matters
In Morocco, coming first does not mean holding government power alone, since PAM has only 97 of the 395 seats and will therefore have to work with other political formations to build a majority.
But first place has a direct institutional consequence. Article 47 of the Moroccan Constitution provides that the King appoints the Head of Government from within the party that comes first in elections to the House of Representatives.
The next Head of Government must therefore be chosen from within PAM. The constitutional provision does not automatically designate a specific individual.
Turnout significantly lower than in 2021
The other central figure in this election is turnout. The Moroccan Interior Ministry’s statement issued when polling stations closed put the national turnout rate at 38.02 %.
Morocco had 15,801,162 registered voters. A turnout rate of 38.02 % therefore corresponds to approximately 6.01 million voters.
In 2021, turnout reached 50.18 %. The decline in 2026 is therefore 12.16 percentage points (TN calculation).
The comparison nevertheless needs to be qualified. In 2021, Moroccans voted on the same day in legislative, regional and municipal elections. The 50.18 % turnout rate therefore applied to a triple election, whereas September 23, 2026 was devoted to legislative elections.
What does the 38.02 % turnout rate actually mean?
It measures participation among voters registered on the electoral rolls. It does not mean that 38.02 % of Morocco’s entire population, or even of all adults, voted.
Young people remain underrepresented on electoral rolls
Official data published before the election also show a significant generational difference in the composition of the electorate.
Those aged 18-24 account for only 4 % of registered voters, while those aged 25-34 account for 15 %. Overall, people under 35 therefore represent only 19 % of registered voters.
By contrast, voters aged 60 and over account for more than 29 % of the electoral register.
These figures do not reveal the turnout rate among young people on election day. They do, however, show that their limited electoral presence begins as early as the voter-registration stage.
So, what has actually changed?
The 2026 elections did not produce a complete replacement of Morocco’s main political forces. PAM, RNI and Istiqlal remain the country’s three leading parties, just as they were already the three pillars of the outgoing governing coalition.
What has changed significantly is their order. PAM has taken first place, RNI has suffered a substantial decline, and the PJD has once again become an important parliamentary force.
Alongside this shift in the balance of power, turnout is another major takeaway from the election: fewer than four registered voters out of ten went to the polls, with particularly low representation of younger generations among registered voters.
The next step will be the formation of a parliamentary majority. The results show the weight of each party, but they do not yet determine the composition of the future governing coalition.
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