Islamist Party Surges in Morocco Election, Raising Concerns for Israel Ties

Morocco's parliamentary elections have revealed a new political landscape, with the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) securing the largest share of seats at 97 out of 395. The outgoing ruling National Rally of Independents (RNI) party suffered a significant setback, falling to second place with 66 seats. The conservative Istiqlal party came in third with 65 seats.

The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) experienced a dramatic resurgence, increasing its representation from 13 to 54 seats. The PJD ran a campaign focused on severing ties with Israel, a move that has drawn particular attention in Israel following its recent normalization of relations with Morocco. The PJD's former leader and Prime Minister, Abdelilah Benkirane, who oversaw the normalization agreement, disavowed it during the campaign and pledged that the Israeli embassy would be closed if his party worked hard enough.

Turnout for the election was only 38%, the lowest since 2007, which analysts attribute to deep public frustration, especially among youth, over the country's economic situation. Unemployment among 15 to 24-year-olds stands at 37%, a factor that fueled widespread protests last September, leading to over 3,000 arrests.

Morocco's constitution requires King Mohammed VI, who holds ultimate authority over foreign and security policy, to appoint the prime minister from the largest party, PAM. However, he is not obligated to choose the party's leader. Potential candidates for prime minister include Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa and Minister of Urban Planning Fatima Ezzahra Mansouri, who would be the first woman in the role. Mansouri has previously defended her support for Israel, stating her party's stance on the Palestinian issue is clear and that she serves only her homeland.

Concerns have been raised by the PJD's gains, with one Moroccan source telling Ynet that "the faction supporting Iran and Hamas entered parliament." This source added, "At a time when extremists should have been stopped, they were rewarded. Activists supporting normalization are being pushed to the margins, and those who burn Israeli flags are rewarded."

Another source suggested the Islamists' return was due to the outgoing coalition's poor performance, stating the results reflect "a lack of discipline and responsibility among its rivals, not its strength." The incoming government will manage domestic affairs for the next five years and oversee a $20 billion infrastructure project in preparation for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.