Morocco’s Sept. 23 parliamentary election was orderly and efficiently managed, but low voter participation and other concerns continue to pose challenges for representative democracy, according to election observers from the Council of Europe.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said Thursday that voters had a broad choice of political parties and candidates, while the voting process itself was generally well administered.
But turnout reached only 38.02% of registered voters, which the observers said amounted to fewer than one in four Moroccans of voting age.
The number of blank and invalid ballots added to concerns over participation and political representation.
“An election can be orderly and still reveal serious challenges for representative democracy,” said Elisabetta Gardini, an Italian member of PACE and head of the observer delegation.
Gardini said the low participation rate raised questions about voter engagement, representation and confidence in the political process.
Youth participation was a particular concern for the observers. While they welcomed measures aimed at increasing the participation of women and young people, they said formal opportunities had not yet translated into sufficient political influence.
The delegation called for changes to voter registration. PACE reiterated its position that all eligible citizens should be automatically registered, rather than having to complete a separate administrative process to exercise their right to vote.
The observers also called for Morocco’s more than 6 million citizens living abroad to be allowed to vote directly at polling stations.
The delegation also raised concerns about how votes are distributed among constituencies, saying some votes can carry more weight than others. It also pointed to Morocco’s electoral quotient, which is calculated based on the number of registered voters.
The delegation raised allegations of vote-buying and of voters being directed toward particular candidates or parties through economic or hierarchical pressure. It called for such allegations to be investigated and for sanctions to be applied when violations are established.
The 24-member, cross-party delegation deployed 12 teams across Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakesh and surrounding areas. It assessed the election against Council of Europe standards and commitments made by Morocco’s Parliament under its “Partner for Democracy” status.
PACE said its full report on the election will be presented to the Parliamentary Assembly in January 2027.
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