Moroccan Women’s Rights Groups criticize low number of female candidates leading 2026 election lists

Moroccan women’s rights organizations have criticized political parties over the limited number of women selected to head electoral lists for the September 2026 parliamentary elections, arguing that the nominations fall short of the country’s constitutional commitments to equality and parity.

In a joint statement, the 190 Coalition Against Violence and the Coalition for the Dignity and Rights of Women said male candidates continue to dominate electoral lists despite legal mechanisms designed to strengthen the political participation of women and young people.

The organizations stressed that the issue goes beyond numerical representation and raises broader questions about Morocco’s progress toward gender equality, a principle enshrined in the Constitution.

According to the statement, Moroccan women have accumulated significant experience in politics, trade unions, civil society organizations and human rights advocacy over the years, making their limited presence among list leaders increasingly difficult to justify.

The coalitions called for a broad national debate involving political parties, constitutional institutions, women’s associations, researchers, media organizations and other stakeholders to examine the factors behind the underrepresentation of women and identify ways to address the issue.

They also questioned whether political parties are fully implementing the incentives and mechanisms provided by electoral legislation to promote women’s participation and whether recent nominations genuinely reflect commitments to equal opportunity and gender parity.

The groups emphasized that women should not be viewed solely as voters or campaign supporters but as full political actors with the right to run for office, lead electoral campaigns and occupy decision-making positions.

As part of their recommendations, the organizations urged political parties to apply electoral laws more effectively by increasing women’s representation in candidate lists and ensuring that women lead at least one-third of them.

They further called for candidate selection to be based on competence, merit and political experience rather than traditional considerations that may limit women’s access to leadership positions.

The statement also appealed to public authorities and relevant institutions to closely monitor the electoral process and continue enforcing legal measures intended to support the political participation of women and young people.

The criticism comes as Morocco prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for September 2026, with questions of political representation, voter participation and gender parity expected to feature prominently in the electoral debate.