SINCE making gains in municipal elections last year, things have gone downhill for Morocco’s ruling Justice and Development Party (PJD). First, a former candidate was accused of sexual harassment. Then in July a party member was arrested with three tonnes of cannabis. One of its governors is accused of trying to influence a big property deal. And in August two sexagenarian leaders of the party’s religious wing, one married, were caught by police in a “sexual position” on a beach.
This would be bad for any party, but the PJD is Islamist and its members are prone to moralising. So some Moroccans have revelled in its misfortune, especially as it comes in the run-up to parliamentary elections on October 7th. Over 30 parties will compete for 395 seats, but the real battle is between the PJD and the Party for Authenticity and Modernity (PAM), which vows to “liberate” Morocco from the Islamists. The PAM won about the same number of votes as the PJD in the municipal polls.
These are the second parliamentary elections since thousands of Moroccans took to the streets in 2011...Continue reading
Source: Middle East and Africa http://ift.tt/2dCwj4y
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