Centre-right wins Moroccan poll, final results confirm

Sep 10, 2007, 2:32 GMT

Rabat - The nationalist party Istiqlal took the most seats in Morocco's parliamentary elections, with the Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD) finishing second, according to nearly complete final results announced overnight.

The results could still undergo minor revisions, because they excluded 30 seats reserved for women by quota in the 325-member Parliament, Interior Ministry sources said.

Istiqlal took 52 seats, rising from the second to the strongest parliamentary force in Friday's poll. The PJD increased its representation from 42 to 47 seats, failing to make the breakthrough it had hoped for to largest party.

The next runners up where the Berber-inspired Popular Movement (MP) with 36 seats and the centre-right National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 34 seats.

The big loser was the Socialist USFP, which took 33 seats, slipping from biggest party to fifth place.

The PJD was not expected to enter government despite rising from Morocco's third to second-strongest party.

Istiqlal Secretary General Abbas el-Fassi said the bloc of parties known as the Koutla was the main parliamentary force and met the conditions for maintaining the outgoing government coalition.

The Koutla comprises the Istiqlal, the USFP and the smaller Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS). The outgoing coalition government, which was headed by technocrat Driss Jettou, was formed by the Koutla, the MP and the RNI.

The PJD blamed its relatively modest success on fraud. Party representatives said the PJD would not want to govern with parties that had allowed fraudulent practices.

Other parties such as the RNI have disputed the allegations of fraud.

The final decision over the new government rests with King Mohammed VI, who may appoint anyone he chooses as prime minister. The king also names four other key ministers.

The elections were overshadowed by record-low voter turnout of 37 per cent.