Press comments on Morocco's local polls results

The communal elections made the headlines of Moroccan dailies published this Sunday.

Al Alam and L'Opinion wrote that the Istiqlal party which came in first in the elections is a strong, open and constantly renewed party. Al Istiqlal's strength, the realism of its program, its proximity to citizens and social affairs and the competence of its candidates made it no surprise that it came in first, L'Opinion says.

Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki says the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) achieved unprecedented results and that the polls show the democratic coalition's weight in the national political scene.

Two major parties of the coalition, Istiqlal and USFP, obtained 30% of all votes.

The results are no contradiction to prior estimations, Liberation says, adding that the first ranks were occupied by "historic" parties.

For Al Haraka, the polls showed a clear change in the Moroccan political map. The daily writes that although modest, the turnout is an evidence of the elections' transparency, honesty and respect for the choice of citizens. For "Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb," although the communal polls did not attract all of the 14 million electors, they have unfolded in calm and serenity. Attajammu, on its part, says the communes are bound to open up to new ideas like a partnership between the communal council, the private sector and civil society.