Moroccan political parties are intensifying their campaigns ahead of the September 23 legislative elections, as candidates seek to win over voters amid concerns over the rising cost of living, unemployment and public services.
Moroccan voters will head to the polls to elect a new House of Representatives in the country’s first legislative election since protests led by young Moroccans erupted in the fall of 2025.
The campaign has brought prominent political figures into the spotlight, including Faouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and a member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, known by its French initials PAM (Parti authenticité et modernité).
Lekjaa, along with Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, and other PAM candidates, visited Rabat on September 14 to meet with residents as part of the party’s electoral campaign.
Speaking during the campaign, Lekjaa acknowledged concerns over the rising cost of living.
“We want to use all legal means to bring living standards back to a normal level, as they were before,” he said.
Lekjaa was initially expected to contest a parliamentary seat in his home region of Berkane, but later decided not to stand as a candidate. Instead, he has been campaigning alongside PAM candidates and supporting the party’s electoral efforts.
The election comes as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
Political parties are seeking to attract voters, particularly young people, as issues including unemployment, living costs and the quality of public services remain central to the campaign.
AP
