Morocco PJD condemns ‘violations that affect integrity of the elections’

The Moroccan Justice and Development Party (PJD) yesterday condemned what it referred to as “violations affecting the integrity of the elections.” This came on the eve of legislative and municipal elections being held today.

In a statement, the PJD pointed to “the continuous imbalances and violations that marred the electoral campaign, such as the heavy use of money and all methods to sway voters with promises and benefits, which constitute flagrant breaches of the legal requirements regulating the electoral campaigns and the conditions of democratic competition.”

The statement also highlighted “the phenomenon of duplicate names in the electoral lists [the voters’ records] … which affects their credibility and damages the integrity of the elections.”

The PJD also denounced “attempts made by governors, workers and representatives of political parties to encourage the transfer of voters to the polling stations on polling day, allegedly to increase the participation rate.”

READ: Morocco: largest opposition party expects to take election lead

Such a move, it explained, can only be seen as an attempt to continue the electoral campaign on polling day.

Some 6,815 candidates are vying for 395 seats in the country’s House of Representatives.

The PJD has been leading the government since 2011 after winning the parliamentary elections that year, and then again in 2016.

Morocco is a constitutional monarchy where the king holds sweeping powers. He picks the prime minister from the party that wins most seats in parliament and appoints key ministers.

The palace also sets the economic agenda for the country of 37 million people and has commissioned a new development model that the new government is asked to implement.