Morocco’s Tangier-A​​ssilah constituency braces for election appeals over ballot case

Morocco’s Tangier-Assilah constituency is bracing for potential legal challenges to the results of the latest parliamentary elections, following the ballot papers controversy that has led to seven people, including Tangier Mayor Mounir Lemouri, facing trial before the city’s criminal court.

As of Wednesday, no party had formally filed an appeal against the results of the September 23, 2026, elections, according to information obtained by Hespress. The constituency returned candidates from the Justice and Development Party (PJD), the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), the Popular Movement, Istiqlal and the National Rally of Independents (RNI).

However, party sources said at least two political groups were preparing challenges, finalizing their submissions and gathering supporting documents and evidence over alleged irregularities in the constituency.

Omar Benajiba, head of the Alliance of the Left list in Tangier-Assilah, said his alliance was preparing to challenge the entire electoral process.

“Rerunning the elections in the Tangier-Assilah constituency is the natural and proper demand for us,” Benajiba told Hespress, citing what he described as clear irregularities during the vote.

He said the alliance intended to contest the overall electoral process and challenge the election of candidates from the winning parties, with the exception of the PJD.

Benajiba said the alliance was preparing appeals against the election of Abdelatif El Ghalbzouri of PAM, who was the party’s provincial official at the time of the ballot papers incident, as well as Mohamed Zemmouri of the Popular Movement and Mohamed Hammami of Istiqlal. It was also considering an appeal against the election of Abdelwahed Boulaich of RNI, though with a lower degree of priority.

Hamid Ben Taher, head of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) list in the constituency, is also preparing to challenge the results after losing his parliamentary seat. He told Hespress that the appeal would be filed by the end of the week or early next week at the latest.

Ben Taher said the USFP planned to contest the election of three lawmakers: El Ghalbzouri, Zemmouri and Hammami. He cited alleged irregularities that have also become part of the criminal proceedings.

He argued that the scale of the alleged violations made a rerun the logical outcome, while stressing that the Constitutional Court would have the final say.

The prospect of appeals has heightened uncertainty among parties that won seats in Tangier-Assilah, where the ballot papers controversy has drawn national attention. Whether the results will be overturned, or a new vote ordered, will depend on the appeals submitted and the decisions of the competent judicial authorities.