Morocco closes polls and begins counting in parliamentary elections

Morocco closed its polling stations on Wednesday and began counting votes in parliamentary elections, with a national turnout of 38.02 percent.

• Voting closed at 7 PM after 11 hours of polling, and ballot counting began at offices nationwide.
• The Interior Ministry announced a national participation rate of 38.02 percent, with voting conducted under normal conditions.
• In initial partial results, the Interior Ministry said the Authenticity and Modernity Party led, followed by the Justice and Development Party, in Rabat's two districts.
• More than 7,200 candidates, including 2,658 women, contested 395 seats for about 15.8 million registered voters.
• The Interior Ministry announced preliminary results giving the Authenticity and Modernity Party 97 of 395 seats, ahead of the National Rally of Independents with 66.
• The Interior Ministry's preliminary results also gave the Istiqlal Party 65 seats and the Justice and Development Party 54 seats.
• The Islamist Justice and Development Party placed fourth with 54 seats, according to preliminary results announced by Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit.
• King Mohammed VI is expected to appoint a figure from the winning party to form a five-year coalition government.
• The Justice and Charity movement boycotted the poll, citing a lack of free and fair conditions.
• The Authenticity and Modernity Party ruled out a new coalition partnership with the National Rally of Independents.
• National turnout fell to 38 percent from 50 percent in the 2021 elections.
• The Authenticity and Modernity Party topped the parliamentary election for the first time since its founding 18 years ago.