How Morocco is preparing for fair and transparent 2026 elections

As campaigning for Morocco’s Sept. 23 parliamentary elections got underway Thursday, authorities have put in place a series of legal and regulatory measures covering media coverage, campaigning, campaign finance and candidate eligibility.

The measures are intended to promote fair competition, equal opportunities for candidates and parties, and voters’ freedom to choose.

Fair election coverage

More than a month before campaigning began, Morocco’s High Authority for Audiovisual Communication, or HACA, issued a guide outlining rules for political coverage during the 2026 elections.

The guidelines require public and private radio and television broadcasters to provide equal coverage to candidates competing in the same electoral district and to cover electoral events and developments, particularly those involving regional lists.

They also establish rules for allocating airtime among political parties during the election period.

Parties with a parliamentary group in either House of Parliament are allocated 50% of the total airtime. Parties represented in Parliament without a parliamentary group receive 30%, while parties without parliamentary representation receive 20%.

Each share is divided equally among the parties within the respective category.

The guidelines also address misinformation and AI-generated content.

HACA has called on broadcasters to help raise public awareness of false information and prohibits them from airing AI-generated or manipulated electoral content when it could mislead viewers.

Such material may be used for news coverage, analysis or fact-checking, provided viewers are clearly informed that the content was generated or altered using artificial intelligence.

Rules for election campaigning

Morocco’s electoral law also establishes rules governing campaign activities, with the stated aim of protecting equal opportunities and voters’ freedom of choice.

The official campaign period began 13 days before the election and will end at midnight on Sept. 22, the day before voting.

The law regulates campaign marches, processions and the use of loudspeakers. Candidates and political parties must notify local authorities in writing at least 24 hours before such activities, providing details including their scheduled start and end times and the planned route.

Campaigning is prohibited in places of worship, educational and vocational training institutions, and public administrations.

Candidates are also prohibited from offering gifts, donations or other benefits to influence voters. Threats, violence and intimidation aimed at influencing voters are likewise prohibited.

Monitoring campaign finances

Campaign spending is subject to oversight, with candidates required to submit their campaign accounts within 90 days of the official announcement of election results.

The accounts must be submitted both electronically through the Court of Auditors’ platform and in physical form.

The requirements are intended to provide oversight of campaign financing and ensure that candidates account for their election-related spending.

Who can run for Parliament?

Morocco’s amended electoral legislation also sets eligibility requirements for parliamentary candidates.

Certain individuals are barred from standing for election, including people caught in the act of committing certain offenses affecting integrity or public morality and individuals convicted at first instance of felonies.

The restrictions also apply to people who lose their electoral eligibility following a ruling by an appeals court.

Elected officials removed from office through a final court ruling are also subject to disqualification, alongside other eligibility requirements established under the electoral law.

Taken together, the measures establish a legal framework governing several stages of the electoral process, from media coverage and campaign activities to campaign financing and candidate eligibility, ahead of the Sept. 23 vote.