Moroccan Parties Intensify Campaign as Election Day Approaches

Political parties across Morocco are ramping up their campaign activities ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for September 23, a vote that will determine the composition of the country’s next government. Twenty-seven parties are contesting 395 seats in the House of Representatives in a contest taking place amid significant socioeconomic challenges.

Issues such as rising living costs, strained public services, and high youth unemployment—currently standing at 37.3 percent for citizens aged 15 to 24—are dominating debates. Campaign teams have converted headquarters in city neighborhoods and markets into operational hubs, navigating crowded streets with loudspeakers, music, and leaflets to engage Morocco’s 15.8 million registered voters.

Al-Wali al-Shtouki, campaign manager for the Justice and Development Party (PJD) in the Medina-Sidi Youssef Ben Ali district, explained their targeted approach to Al Jazeera. “We choose communication locations carefully; we start from a field map where we define the spaces where citizens meet naturally, then we divide the team according to tasks between direct communication and recording observations,” he said. He added that small meetings at headquarters allow for calm dialogue to understand citizen expectations, which then guide daily work.

Jawad al-Shafdi, head of the Moroccan Observatory for Political Participation, emphasized that electoral success depends heavily on local roots. “In the Moroccan case, the strength of the candidate, their local extension, their network of relationships, and their electoral record also play essential roles,” al-Shafdi noted. He argued that winning requires converting organizational activity into mobilization, and mobilization into votes and seats, rather than simply relying on party presence.

The race has driven groups to adopt multi-channel strategies balancing physical outreach with digital campaigns. Fatima al-Tamni, a Left Alliance candidate in Casablanca, criticized superficial campaign displays. “We do not want to speak to the citizen from above, nor turn the campaign into a festival of pictures and slogans… We want to speak with them in clear language, and hear from them before we speak in their name,” she said, calling for a new political relationship based on accountability.

Youssef Ait Sidi Said of the Progress and Socialism Party described campaigning as an evolving process. While digital platforms help reach youth and facilitate interaction, he insisted they complement rather than replace face-to-face engagement. “Field communication allows direct listening to the citizen, while digital platforms allow expanding the reach, interaction, and documenting activities,” he said.