Moroccan parties urge committee to oversee elections

Independence Party leader Hamid Shabat doubts the integrity of upcoming elections Morocco’s Independence Party is urging the Interior Ministry to refrain from organising the upcoming elections, insisting that an independent committee perform the role. The committee should include the different ministries, political parties and human rights organisations, said the party.
The news come after Hamid Shabat, the Director-General of the Independence Party accused the country’s Interior Ministry of controlling the electoral process and of favouring candidates from the Popular Movement Party.
Independence Party MP Said el-Keihal told Arabstoday that the Moroccan authorities have refused to a list of the polling stations to his party or submit any electoral appeals – a move which he says casts doubts over the integrity of the Moroccan elections.
Morocco’s last election in November 2011, led to the moderate Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD) gaining power with the most seats in parliament.  However, a political battle has continued since then between the Independence Party and the Popular Movement over whether they would form a coalition as part of the government.
Sources have told Arabstoday that the Independence Party criticised a recent win by a Popular Movement candidate who gained 22,000 votes, accusing the Interior Minister of favouring him.