Rabat – Abdelali Hamieddine, a member of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), said preliminary results received after the initial counting of polling station records show the party in first place, “by a wide margin,” over other political parties.
Hamieddine said the records received by the party place the PJD first in several areas, including Inezgane, Agadir, Taroudant, Casablanca, Rabat, Salé, Meknes, and Fez, as well as in several rural areas.
He said the PJD is also taking the lead in Temara in northern regions.
“In rural areas as well as Sidi Slimane, for example, one of our rural communes has 132 votes, while the second has 32,” the PJD member said.
The latest data from the Interior Ministry said the national voter turnout reached 38.02%, against 51% in the 2021 elections.
The ministry stated that the voting process took place under normal conditions across all regions, with the exception of a very limited number of isolated cases involving a limited number of polling stations.
Political parties, however, including the PJD, are now celebrating what they deem as leadership in several regions across Morocco.
PJD remarks triggered questions on whether the party could create a surprise for other parties and secure a win after a disappointing failure for the political party in the 2021 elections, when it only secured 13 seats, after winning the most seats in the 2016 elections.
The National Rally of Independents won the 2021 elections and formed a coalition with the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and Al Istiqlal.
PJD, however, has been vowing that its presence is stronger than in the previous elections, citing its leadership in two elections in a row in 2011 and 2016.
Earlier today, PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane said Wednesday that party observers at several polling stations reported being denied copies of the official records containing the results after voting ended.
Benkirane said he had spoken with the Minister of Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, who confirmed that party observers should receive copies of the polling station minutes. He described reports that some polling station presidents refused to provide the documents as unacceptable and contrary to the law and official instructions.
“There was communication between the Minister of Interior and me today, and he confirmed to me that this is what the instructions were, and the official documents given to the authorities so that this matter would be implemented in a normal and proper manner. And, thank God, we based this first on the legal aspect. This is what is stipulated clearly and precisely,” Benkirane said.
He added that his party’s observers were asked to “go on your way now,” with presidents of polling stations refusing to provide copies of the polling station records that contain the results.
“I was very upset. This is not acceptable. It is against the law and against the instructions,” he said.
