MOROCCO
Parliamentary Chamber: Majlis Nawab

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1997

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Chamber:
  Majlis Nawab


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  14 November 1997


Purpose of elections:

  Elections were held for all the seats of the new House of Representatives provided for by legislation adopted in August 1997


Background and outcome of elections:

  General elections for the former unicameral Parliament of 333 members (222 directly elected, 111 indirectly elected) previously took place in June and September 1996. In September 1996, a constitutional amendment to replace the existing unicameral legislative system by a bicameral one was approved by popular referendum. In August 1997, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted two laws concerning the running and organisation of elections for the two Houses. The same month, King Hassan II announced that polling would be held later in the year and that alternating majorities («alternance ») in Parliament were desirable.

For the Lower House elections on 14 November, some 3,300 candidates (including 69 women) and 16 parties vied for the 325 seats at stake. The main contestants could be divided into three blocs: the right-wing and pro-Government Wifaq (comprising the Constitutional Union (UC), the Popular Movement (MP) and one other party), the opposition Koutla (comprising the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), the Istiqlal and two other parties), and the three-party Centre bloc led by the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and the Democratic and Social Movement (MDS). Also in the running was one moderate Islamic party, the Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement (MPCD).

After a two-week campaign, polling day saw a turnout of 58%. None of the three blocs gained an absolute majority (163) of the seats, with Koutla winning 102 and thus narrowly topping Wifaq. Among individual parties, the USFP - led by Mr. Abderrahmane Youssoufi with a programme based on « modern socialist principles » - came in first with 57 seats. Mr. Youssoufi was named Prime Minister on 4 February.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (14 November 1997): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 12,790,631
Voters 7,456,996 (58.3%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers 1,085,366
Valid votes 6,371,630

Round no 1: Distribution of votes  
Political Group Candidates Votes %
Koutla bloc 1,186 2,183,247 34.27
Wifaq bloc 604 1,577,502 24.76
Centre bloc 726 1,740,204 27.31
Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement (MPCD) 140 264,324 4.14
Democratic Forces Front (FFD) 217 243,275 3.81
Democratic Socialist Party (PSD) 231 188,520 2.95
Action Party (PA) 92 89,614 1.40
Democratic Party for Independence (PDI) 78 76,176 1.19
Movement for Democracy (MD) 14 8,768 0

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Koutla bloc 102
Wifaq bloc 100
Centre bloc 97
Constitutional and Democratic Popular Movement (MPCD) 9
Democratic Forces Front (FFD) 9
Democratic Socialist Party (PSD) 5
Action Party (PA) 2
Democratic Party for Independence (PDI) 1
Movement for Democracy (MD) 0

Comments:
  The Koutla Bloc includes:
  • Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) -57 seats
  • Istiqlal Party (PI)-32 seats
  • Party of Renewal and Progress (PRP)-9 seats
  • Organisation of Democratic and Popular Action (OADP)-4 seats
    The Wifaq Bloc includes:
  • Constitutional Union (UC)-50 seats
  • Popular Movement (MP)-40 seats
  • National Democratic Party (PND)-10 seats
    The Center Bloc incudes:
  • National Rally of Independents (RNI)-46 seats
  • Democratic and social Movement (MDS)-32 seats
  • National Popular Movement (MNP)-19 seats
  • Distribution of seats according to sex:  
    Men: 323
    Women: 2
    Percent of women: 0.62


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    Copyright © 1997 Inter-Parliamentary Union