Morocco records 7,288 candidate lists for 2026 parliamentary elections

A total of 7,288 candidate lists have been submitted for Morocco’s Sept. 23, 2026, parliamentary elections, according to provisional figures released by the Interior Ministry after the candidacy registration period ended Wednesday.

The election process was conducted under normal conditions and saw significant participation from political parties and prospective candidates, the ministry said.

A total of 28 political groups are participating in the election, including alliances formed specifically for the vote.

Of the 7,288 candidate lists submitted nationwide, 1,850 are competing in local electoral districts and 1,615 in regional electoral districts.

The local lists contain a total of 5,505 candidates, while the regional lists include 5,046 candidates, according to the provisional figures.

On average, there are more than 18 candidates competing for each seat in both local and regional districts.

Women account for more than 36% of candidates

Women account for 2,658 of the candidates registered for the election, representing 36.47% of the total.

Of those, 1,783 are running through regional electoral districts and 875 through local districts.

A total of 235 candidate lists submitted in local districts are headed by women, meaning women serve as lead candidates on those lists.

The number of women running has increased compared with the 2021 legislative elections, when 1,769 women were candidates in the corresponding regional electoral districts, according to the ministry.

The 2026 election will determine the members of Morocco’s House of Representatives across the country’s 12 regions.

Sitting lawmakers seek re-election

Among current members of Parliament, 227 lawmakers have submitted candidacies for the upcoming election.

They include 204 members of the House of Representatives and three members of the House of Councillors, according to the ministry’s provisional data.

Two lists have also been submitted by independent candidates who are not affiliated with political parties, competing in two local electoral districts.

The Interior Ministry said candidate lists submitted with political party endorsements are distributed among local and regional electoral districts.

The election campaign began at midnight Wednesday and officially starts Thursday, Sept. 10. It will continue until midnight Sept. 22, ahead of the vote on Sept. 23.

The figures remain provisional pending the completion of the relevant electoral procedures.

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