Turkey has welcomed parliamentary elections in Morocco as the country’s moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) won the most seats in the polls, saying that the elections is the most important step in reform process.
PJD won 107 seats in the 395-seat parliament, according to results from the interior ministry carried by the official MAP news agency.
Three parties from the secularist Koutla bloc, with which the PJD wants to form a coalition, won a total 117 seats, the results showed.
Koutla includes the Istiqlal Party, of outgoing Prime Minister Abbas Al Fassi, Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and Socialism and Progress Party (PPS). The three parties won 60, 39 and 18 seats respectively. Istiqlal headed the incumbent coalition.
A statement Turkish Foreign Ministry released on Monday said the first elections after the new constitution as part of Morocco’s reform process is a new and the most significant step in this regard.
It said Turkey believes that the free, fair and transparent elections is a tangible indication of Morocco’s determination in progress in reform and democracy. The statement added that many national and international officials, including representatives from Turkey, observed the elections.
Morocco has not had a revolution of the kind seen elsewhere in the region. But King Mohammed has pushed through limited reforms to contain what has become regular protests demanding a British or Spanish-style monarchy.
“Turkey wholeheartedy supports Morocco’s steps in reform and democratization and wish success to the new parliament after the elections,” the statement concluded.
