Moroccans vote for local representatives Friday
Morocco, Politics, 9/12/2003

Moroccan electors nationwide will be heading Friday to polling stations to choose 23,689 councilors among 112,658 candidates, in the first local elections held under the reign of King Mohammed VI who ascended to the throne in July 1999 and the eighth since Morocco's independence.

In addition to lowering the voter age from 21 to 18, the other novelty marking these elections is the adoption of two polling systems, depending on the communes' size: in communes with less than 25,000 inhabitants, councilors will be elected at the single-round uninominal system with the relative majority, while the list polling at the proportional representation was picked for the election of councilors whose inhabitants exceed 25,000 inhabitants.

Out of 112,658 vying candidates, 33% have a secondary education level, while 49% have not gone beyond college and only 18% have attended university.

Most of candidates (22.61%) are wage-earners, farmers account for 17.87%, while craftsmen represent 11.67%, tradesmen (10,41%), teachers (8.23%), civil servants (6.82%) and students 3.59%.

Women candidates stand at an unexpected low rate of 5% of all candidates submitted by the 26 political parties, at a time, observers believed that the election of 35 women to the House of Representatives would incite more women to run for the elections.

Regarding the age breakdown of candidates, those below 34 years represent 30% of candidates, those in the 35-44 age bracket account for 31% and the 45-54 age bracket make up 26%. Candidates aged above 55 only represent 13% of candidates.

Morocco's oldest political parties, the Istiqlal party (PI) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) are the ones that ensure the widest coverage of constituencies with candidates running in almost all the constituencies. A total of 26 parties have submitted candidates.

Besides a set of measures destined to fight vote rigging and buying, a whole package of new laws were enacted for these elections, including a new communal charter, a new electoral law and some 23 other texts (laws, decrees and ministerial decisions).

Although the electoral campaign seemed to some very dim as most of political parties only outlined general programs and policies, the real interest of these elections will spring a new political map or confirm the same one that emerged from last year's legislative elections.

Another thing to watch for is the post-electoral coalitions and the ability of the post-legislative elections alliances to live on. (MAP)SH

Meantime, The court of first instance of Marrakesh sentenced on Wednesday two candidates of the party of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), who were vying for the local polls of September 12, to 10 and 8 months for forging administrative documents.

Abdelkebir El Arbati, head of list was handed down a 10-month prison sentence while Abdellatif Ait Boujemaa, who appeared in the same list, got an 8-month sentence. The case started when a carpenter filed a plaint as he was stunned to see his name among the RNI list of candidates without his prior agreement.

Previous Stories:
  Women representatives in local communities very insufficient, says NGO   (9/11/2003)
  Canada supports unconditional release of Moroccan POWs   (9/10/2003)
  Islamic party says limited participation in local polls, a strategic choice   (9/10/2003)

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