Morocco's ruling Islamists have won the country's parliamentary elections, official results showed Saturday. Some 43 percent of the North African kingdom's 15.7 million eligible voters cast their ballots in Friday's parliamentary vote, which was only the second election since constitutional reforms were instated to quell the street protests that erupted during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

The moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 125 of the 395 seats in the Chamber of Representatives, whereas the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) came second with 102 seats, according to the country's Interior Ministry.

The conservative Istiqlal (Independence) Party has come in third with 31 seats, Interior Minister Mohammed Hassad told reporters. This means no party will win a clear majority, setting the stage for a ruling coalition.

So far, the PJD's signature achievement is the passage of a controversial reform of the retirement system while following a relatively liberal economic policy.

"Today democracy won," Prime Minister Benkirane said as the results started to come in. "After leading the government for five years, after implementing reforms, after its achievements, after carefully managing the budget and reforms with the retirement fund ... after widening health care coverage, after all of this - thanks be to God - today, the Moroccan people have given the PJD a victory."

Islamists gaining strength?

Some parties have fielded ultra-conservative Salafists, in a sign that Islamists are becoming a feature of Moroccan politics.

The PAM poured enormous resources into a campaign criticizing the government's economic record as "catastrophic" and pledged to roll back the "Islamization" of society and legalize cannabis.

The government said the vote was fair, though there have been allegations of irregularities from all sides. PAM spokesman Khalid Adennoun told reporters his party had filed "50 complaints" of voting irregularities in the port city of Tangiers.

Local media also reported a violent incident in which an Islamist candidate was attacked and wounded outside a polling station in the capital, Rabat.

The religious PJD came to power in 2011, months after massive street protests prompted concessions from Morocco's monarchy. A new constitution transferred some of the king's powers to the elected parliament, at a time when autocratic regimes were falling in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's PJD won the 2011 election, and he was appointed premier by the king. In five years, he has pushed economic reforms to reduce the deficit and tackle subsidies

jar, shs/rc (AFP, dpa)</s></s>Morocco's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 125 seats in Friday's parliamentary election with rivals Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) winning 102 seats, and conservative Istiqlal party securing 46 seats, according to the interior minister citing final results.

The vote for the 395-seat parliament was a test for Morocco five years after the king devolved some powers to ease protests for change. A tight result means coalition-building for the PJD to form a new government will be complex.</s>Moroccan Prime Minister and Secretary General of the ruling Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane, addresses a press conference in Rabat, on October 7, 2016. By Fadel Senna (AFP)

Rabat (AFP) - The Islamist Justice and Development Party, which has headed Morocco's coalition government for the last five years, came top in parliamentary polls on Friday, according to provisional results released by the Interior Ministry.

The Islamists took 99 seats while the the liberal opposition Authenticity and Modernity Party took 80, with 90 percent of the vote counted.</s>Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, secretary general of the Justice and Development Party, waves during a party meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday (Reuters photo)

RABAT — Morocco's ruling Islamists have beaten their liberal rivals in parliamentary elections five years after sweeping to power following Arab Spring-inspired protests, results showed on Saturday.

Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) took 125 seats out of 395 in Friday's polls, the interior ministry said after all ballots were counted.

Its main rival, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which had campaigned against the "Islamisation" of Moroccan society, won 102 seats, the ministry said.

The PJD's rise to power in 2011 after King Mohammed VI relinquished some of his powers following street protests brought hopes of change in the North African country.

The PJD was the first Islamist party to win a national election, and the first to lead a government, albeit with coalition partners after failing to win an outright majority.

Observers from the Council of Europe who monitored Friday's vote said it was organised "with integrity and full transparency".

But the delegation said it "regrets that the current voters' registration system and the awareness campaign have not produced a turnout higher than in 2011, particularly among young voters".

It also noted "the surprisingly high amount of spoilt ballot papers" and said there were reports of "electoral fraud" although members of the delegation did not witness any wrongdoing.

Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad rejected accusations of voter fraud from both sides. He said turnout was 43 per cent.

On Friday, the PJD and the PAM traded accusations of vote irregularities, while the media reported that a video shared on social networks had showed a man stuffing a ballot box.

Apart from the two main parties, Istiqlal, which historically fought for independence from France, came third with 45 seats.

Nine other parties also won seats, including the National Gathering of Independents which took 37 and the Federation of the Democratic Left which clinched two.

A statement by the PJD said the Islamists were “very concerned about numerous reports of fraud being carried out by authorities” in favour of the PAM and urged the interior ministry to intervene.

PAM spokesman Khalid Adennoun said his party had filed “50 complaints” of voting irregularities, some concerning the PJD in Tangiers.

The head of the European observers team, Ian Liddell-Grainger, told a news conference he was confident that the interior ministry had done a good job.

“I don’t feel that at any stage the ministry interfered,” he said.

To make life easier for the illiterate, who make up a third of Morocco’s population, the 30 parties in contention were marked on ballot papers with symbols such as a tractor or camel.

The PJD clinched 12 more seats in parliament than in the 2011 election, which was held after a new constitution transferred some of the king’s powers to parliament, at a time when autocratic regimes were falling in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

The king is expected to appoint a new prime minister from the biggest party in parliament — a task which could again fall to Benkirane.

 Over the past five years his PJD has been weakened by rising unemployment and plummeting growth while critics said it failed to make good on promises to tackle corruption.

The PJD also faced a string of scandals within its ranks including a drugs bust, a land-grab deal and the suspension of two vice presidents found in a “sexual position” on a beach.

The PAM, formed in 2008 by a close adviser to the king, had hoped to take advantage in the poll and despite coming in second place more than doubled the number of its seats in the future parliament.

Headed by Ilyas El Omari, it has poured enormous resources into a campaign criticising the government’s economic record as “catastrophic” and pledging to roll back the “Islamisation” of society.

The PJD and the PAM have ruled out joining forces in a grand coalition.</s>Rabat (AFP) - Morocco's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which has headed a coalition government since Arab Spring-inspired protests five years ago, has won parliamentary elections, the interior ministry said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's PJD secured 125 seats against 102 for its main rival, the Authenticity and Modernity Party, which had campaigned against the "Islamisation" of Moroccan society, the ministry said after all ballots were counted.</s>Early turnout had been low in Rabat with many people waiting till after the weekly noon prayers to cast their ballots. By Fadel Senna (AFP)

Rabat (AFP) - The Islamist party which has headed Morocco's coalition government since Arab Spring-inspired protests five years ago has beaten liberal rivals in parliamentary elections, results showed Saturday.

Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) took 125 seats out of 395, the interior ministry said after all ballots were counted.

Its main rival, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which had campaigned against the "Islamisation" of Moroccan society, won 102 seats, the ministry said.

Istiqlal, the party which historically fought for independence from France, came third with 45 seats.

In any case, the real power will remain in the hands of King Mohammed VI, the scion of a monarchy that has ruled the North African country for 350 years.

Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad said that the election was "transparent" and had gone well, rejecting accusations of voter fraud from both sides.

The PJD had earlier issued a statement saying it was "very concerned about numerous reports of fraud being carried out by authorities" in favour of the PAM, and called on the interior ministry to "urgently intervene".

PAM spokesman Khalid Adennoun declined to comment but said that his party had filed "50 complaints" of voting irregularities, some concerning the PJD in Tangiers.

An Islamist candidate was attacked and wounded outside a polling station in Rabat, according to local media.

A video shared on social networks also showed a man stuffing a ballot box, leading the PJD to file a complaint, media reported.

Participation was at 43 percent, or roughly 6,750,000 voters, Hassad told a press conference in the capital Rabat.

Early turnout had been low in Rabat with many people waiting until after the weekly noon prayers to cast their ballots while others trickled to the polls after office hours.

Meriem, a voter in her 40s, said after casting her ballot in central Rabat: "I came to carry out my duty as a citizen. Our Morocco needs a healthy democracy."

To make life easier for the illiterate, who make up a third of Morocco's population, the 30 parties in contention were marked on ballot papers with symbols such as a tractor or camel.

The PJD came to power in 2011, months after massive street protests prompted concessions from the monarchy.

A new constitution transferred some of the king's powers to parliament, at a time when autocratic regimes were falling in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

While in government, the PJD passed a controversial reform of the retirement system and followed a relatively liberal economic policy.

Its task has been complicated by the unstable world economy and a drought this year that hit Morocco's vital agricultural sector and sent growth plummeting.

The party has been weakened by rising unemployment and what critics say is a failure to make good on promises in 2011 to tackle corruption.

It has also faced a string of scandals within its ranks including a drugs bust, a land-grab deal and the suspension of two vice presidents found in a "sexual position" on a beach.

The opposition PAM, formed in 2008 by a close adviser to the king, had hoped to take advantage in the polls.

Headed by Ilyas El Omari, it has poured enormous resources into a campaign criticising the government's economic record as "catastrophic" and pledging to roll back the "Islamisation" of society.

Several parties fielded ultra-conservative Salafists, in a sign that Islamists are becoming a feature of Moroccan politics.

The PJD and the PAM have ruled out joining forces in a grand coalition.

Under the 2011 constitution, the king appoints a prime minister from the biggest party in parliament once the election results have been announced.
Voters in Morocco go to the polls for a general election with the ruling Justice and Development Party winning the most seats.