Rabat – Fouzi Lekjaa’s political future has come under renewed scrutiny after Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party in the September 23 legislative elections.
PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, ahead of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 and the Istiqlal Party with 65, according to preliminary results announced by Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit.
The result puts PAM at the center of the process of forming Morocco’s next government and has revived a question that attracted considerable attention before the vote:
Could Lekjaa become Morocco’s next Head of Government?
Lekjaa, who joined PAM shortly before the elections, is already one of the country’s most prominent figures through his positions as president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and Minister Delegate in Charge of the Budget.
Many Moroccans expressed on social media today that Lekjaa is now viewed as a potential candidate for Head of Government following PAM’s victory.
However, FRMF’s chief has previously played down the possibility himself.
Read also: PAM Wins Morocco’s Legislative Elections with 97 Seats
‘My mission ends on September 23′
Before the elections, Lekjaa directly addressed speculation about his political future in an interview with Jeune Afrique.
Asked whether he had considered becoming Head of Government, he replied, “Head of the government? I have never thought about it.”
“I have a mission that ends on September 23,” he added.
Lekjaa made the comments while explaining that his immediate political objective was to help PAM in the September 23 legislative elections.
The date he mentioned has now passed, and PAM has achieved the objective of finishing first.
This has consequently given new weight to questions about what role Lekjaa could play in the next government, although no appointment has been announced.
Read also: Fouzi Lekjaa Rules Out Head of the Government Role, Vows to Pursue Morocco’s AFCON Case
PAM has won, but Lekjaa is not automatically the next head of government
PAM’s victory gives it the first position in the government-formation process, but it does not automatically mean that Lekjaa will become Head of Government.
Under Article 47 of Morocco’s Constitution, King Mohammed VI appoints the Head of Government from the political party that comes first in the elections for the House of Representatives.
PAM’s 97 seats therefore put the party in the lead in the process. However, it remains well short of the 198 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 395-member chamber.
The party will therefore need to negotiate a coalition to form a government.
The identity of the person who will lead that government remains a separate question.
If not Lekjaa, then who?
One of the most prominent alternatives within PAM is Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the party’s current leader and a senior political figure.
El Mansouri has served as Minister of National Territorial Planning, Land Planning, Housing and City Policy and is also mayor of Marrakech.
She, alongside Lekjaa, is one of the potential candidates for head of the government. If appointed, she would become Morocco’s first female head of government.
Her profile has therefore placed her at the center of speculation over who could represent PAM at the head of the next executive.
Why is Lekjaa’s name closely linked to 2030?
Lekjaa’s potential appointment has attracted particular attention because of his connection to Morocco’s football development and preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
As FRMF’s president, he has overseen a period in which Morocco’s national teams and football infrastructure have received major investment.
At the same time, his role in the government has placed him directly within Morocco’s public-finance system.
The next government will oversee the final stages of preparations for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
This combination of football administration, public finance, and political influence is one reason Lekjaa has emerged as a prominent name in discussions about the next government.
Read also: Fouzi Lekjaa Reveals the Long-Term Strategy Behind Morocco’s Football Rise
