2016 Moroccan general election

The elections were announced by the Moroccan government in late January 2016.[https://www.reuters.com/article/morocco-election-idUSL8N15C4WF Morocco to hold parliamentary elections on Oct. 7 -government] Reuters, 28 January 2016 They were the second elections after the constitutional reforms introduced in 2011 by King Mohammed VI in response to the Arab Spring. Despite the reforms, most executive powers still lie with the king.

The 2011 elections were won by the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which led the government until 2016. The "moderate Islamist" PJD included parties with differing ideologies in its coalition government.[https://www.wsj.com/articles/moroccan-islamist-party-wins-new-mandate-in-elections-1475929823 Moroccan Islamist Party Wins New Mandate in Elections] Wall Street Journal, 8 October 2016{{not in citation given|date=May 2020}}

The incumbent Prime Minister going into the 2016 elections was Abdelilah Benkirane. The largest opposition party was the pro-monarchy Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM).The report: Morocco 2009, Oxford Business Group, p19Michael J. Willis (2012) Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring, C. Hurst & Co, pp149–150 PJD and PAM ran an "unusually hostile" campaign. The largest Islamist opposition group, Justice and Spirituality, as well as several left-wing organizations boycotted the election, protesting the monarchy's still considerable executive powers.[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-morocco-election-tally-idUSKCN1280EP Moderate Moroccan Islamists win election, coalition talks seen tough] Reuters, 8 October 2016

The 395 seats in the House of Representatives are elected by proportional representation in two tiers: 305 seats are elected from 92 multi-member constituencies, with the electoral threshold set at 6%, and the remaining 90 seats are elected from a single nationwide constituency with the electoral threshold set at 3%. The nationwide seats are reserved, with 60 for women and 30 for people under the age of 40.[http://ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2221_B.htm Electoral system] Inter-Parliamentary Union

Under the electoral system no party can win a majority in the parliament, and parties must form a coalition government.

The vote had 43% turnout.[http://bigstory.ap.org/article/23d5548b685b43ceb02b2599de3b6ab7/observers-moroccan-election-overall-fair-turnout-low Observers: Moroccan election overall fair, but turnout low] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301142749/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/23d5548b685b43ceb02b2599de3b6ab7/observers-moroccan-election-overall-fair-turnout-low |date=2017-03-01 }} Associated Press, 9 October 2016[https://www.maroc.ma/en/news/parliamentary-elections-2016 Parliamentary Elections 2016] Maroc.ma, 7 October 2016 The Justice and Development Party won the most votes and 125 out of the 395 seats. The Authenticity and Modernity Party won 102 seats, and the rest of the seats were split among smaller parties.

Morocco's election observer body said that the voting was largely free and fair. It reported some cases of vote-buying, but said that they were rare and sporadic. It also expressed concern about the relatively low (43%) turnout. Critics also alleged that the royal establishment used its influence to favour the pro-monarchy PAM.

Following the elections, Khalid Adnoun, a spokesman for the second-placed Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), ruled out joining a coalition government, forcing the PJD to partner with multiple smaller parties in order to secure a majority. On 10 October, Abdelillah Benkirane was reappointed prime minister by King Mohammed VI in accordance with the 2011 constitutional reforms which required the king to appoint a prime minister from the party receiving the most votes.[http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/moroccan-king-reappoints-abdelilah-bekirane-pm-161010182453418.html Moroccan king reappoints Abdelilah Bekirane as PM] Al Jazeera, 10 October 2016 However, after Aziz Akhannouch was elected leader of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), he called for the new coalition to include the Constitutional Union (UC) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP). This was rejected by Benkirane, leading to a political deadlock as a government was unable to be formed.{{Cite news |date=2017-01-09 |title=Nouveau blocage pour la formation du gouvernement marocain |language=fr |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2017/01/09/nouveau-blocage-pour-la-formation-du-gouvernement-marocain_5059797_3212.html |access-date=2022-06-17}}{{Cite web |date=2016-11-20 |title=Un mois et demi après les élections, le Maroc toujours sans gouvernement |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/reportages/un-mois-et-demi-apr-s-les-lections-le-maroc-toujours-sans-gouvernement-2076212245 |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=Middle East Eye |language=fr}}

On 15 March 2017, Benkirane was dismissed by King Mohammed VI,{{Cite web |date=2017-03-15 |title=King Mohammed VI Dismisses Abdelilah Benkirane as Appointed Head of Government |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2017/03/211083/king-mohammed-vi-dismisses-abdelilah-benkirane-as-appointed-head-of-government |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=Morocco World News |language=en}} who two days later appointed Saadeddine Othmani in his place to form a government.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-17 |title=King of Morocco names Saad Eddine El Othmani as new prime minister |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20170317-morocco-king-names-saad-eddine-el-othmani-new-prime-minister |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=France 24 |language=en}} On 25 March, Othmani announced that the new coalition would consist of the PJD, RNI, UC, USFP, Popular Movement and Party of Progress and Socialism.[https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2017/03/212124/saad-eddine-othmani-announces-end-deadlock-formation-government/ Saad Eddine Othmani Announces end of Deadlock, Formation of Government] Morocco World News, 25 March 2017 The members of the cabinet were announced by the King on 5 April, with some key portfolios going to technocrats.[http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2017/04/05/maroc-le-roi-nomme-un-gouvernement-de-technocrates-qui-marginalise-les-islamistes_5106581_3212.html Maroc : le roi nomme un gouvernement de technocrates qui marginalise les islamistes] Le Monde, 5 April 2017

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