Morocco’s election-winning Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has agreed to form a governing coalition with three other political parties, securing a parliamentary majority of 207 seats in the 395-member House of Representatives.
The agreement was announced in a joint statement on Monday following a second round of coalition talks in the capital, Rabat.
The proposed coalition brings together PAM, the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS).
Together, the four parties control 207 seats, exceeding the 198 seats required to secure a majority in the lower house of parliament.
Under the announced arrangement, PAM holds 97 seats, while Istiqlal has 65. The USFP secured 26 seats, and the PPS holds 19.
The parties said they would begin proposing candidates for ministerial positions and work towards preparing a government programme as soon as possible.
The agreement marks a significant step towards establishing Morocco’s next government following the parliamentary elections held on September 23.
El Mansouri Tasked with Forming Government
King Mohammed VI tasked PAM leader Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri with forming a new government on September 29 after her party emerged as the leading political force in the parliamentary elections.
The coalition negotiations have focused on bringing together parties with sufficient parliamentary representation to establish a governing majority and agree on the composition and priorities of the incoming administration.
The proposed partnership is expected to provide the parliamentary support needed for the new government to pursue its legislative agenda once the coalition arrangements are finalised.
However, the parties are still expected to complete discussions on ministerial nominations and the government’s programme.
Outgoing Governing Party Left Out
The National Rally of Independents (RNI), which led the outgoing government, is not part of the new coalition arrangement.
The RNI finished second in the September 23 elections, securing 66 seats in the House of Representatives.
Its exclusion from the proposed governing alliance represents a shift in the political configuration following the election, with PAM now taking the lead in efforts to assemble the next administration.
The four-party coalition’s combined strength of 207 seats gives it a clear parliamentary majority, although the formation of the government will depend on the completion of negotiations over ministerial appointments and policy priorities.
