Thirteen million Moroccans elect their municipal representatives

Moroccans began voting Friday to elect nearly 28,000 municipal councillors, and, for the first time, a 12% quota of seats reserved for women.

•     About 38,250 polling stations were established throughout the kingdom. They open at 8.00 am (7.00 am GMT) and close at 7.00 pm (6.00 pm GMT). All Moroccans aged 18 and more May vote.
  
      The official results should be announced Saturday afternoon.
  
      Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi had voted in late morning at Souissi, an upscale district of the capital, and the Secretary General of Justice and Development Party (PJD, moderate Islamists) Abdelillah Benkirane did the same at the same time in Orangers, in the city center.
  
      These elections represent “a major event,” Benkirane said.
  
      At midday, participation had “exceeded 12%”, according to the Ministry of Interior. The vote takes place under normal conditions, with a few minor incidents that did not affect it normal conduct.”
  
      Analysts expect a high abstention for these municipalities. In 2003 at the previous election, it had reached 46%.
  
      A total of 130,223 candidates from 30 political parties are competing. The voting is twofold: uninominal in small towns and list (proportional representation) in the municipalities exceeding 35,000 inhabitants).
  
      27,795 municipal councillors will be elected for terms of six years in 1503 Municipalities.
  
      Women candidates totaled 20,458 (or 15.7% of total) against 4.8% in 2003. They then obtained with 0.54% of the seats.
  
      Overall the campaign has not generated much enthusiasm and was held without major incident.
  
      According to a recent survey by the NGO Transparency International, 53% of Moroccans believe that political parties are corrupt. Aware of this disaffection, the authorities increase calls for the vote.
  
      The fight against unemployment, literacy and the advancement of women were the main themes of this campaign.
  
      One of the interests of consultation would be the score of Authenticity and Modernity Party (WFP), new-born on the political spectrum.
  
      WFP was founded in 2008 by former Minister for the Interior Fouad Ali El Himma, a friend of the king. This will be the first electoral test for the party which, until May 29, belonged to the ruling coalition.
  
      The results of the PJD-came in second place in the 2007 legislative elections - will also be observed under the microscope. “Our ambition is to get ahead,” summed up Thursday to the press Abdelillah Benkirane.
  
      Fez, 200 km east of Rabat, is among its stated goals. The spiritual capital of the kingdom is now led by trade unionist Hamid Chabat, the Istiqlal (PI), the party of Prime Minister.
  
      Salé, twin-city (and dormitory city) in Rabat, whose mayor is Driss Sentissi, (Popular Movement/ MP), is also in line of sight of the PJD.
  
      According to the Ministry of Interior, the WFP has introduced more candidates (16,793), followed by PI (15,681), the National Rally of Independents (RNI/12.432), the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP/12.241), the PJD (8870) and MP (8595).
  
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.