Morocco’s Justice and Development Party (PJD) is attempting to recover from its dramatic electoral defeat in 2021, when it fell from 125 parliamentary seats to 13. The National Rally of Independents won 102 seats and became the largest party. The PJD had previously been a major beneficiary of reforms introduced after Morocco’s 2011 protests, winning 107 seats that year and entering government under Abdelilah Benkirane.
Benkirane returned to the party leadership after its collapse and remains central to its political recovery. An Al Jazeera Studies analysis describes him as a political “brand”, whose long career, media profile and direct communication style give the party electoral visibility. But his prominence does not demonstrate that the PJD has restored its former support, and the party still has to convert attention around its leader into broader backing.
The PJD’s 2026 programme contains 467 measures covering identity and family, political and institutional reform, public services and social protection, the economy and employment, and foreign policy. It calls for greater transparency in public procurement, measures against conflicts of interest and illicit enrichment, and improvements in housing, education, healthcare, food, water and energy security. Party official Saad al-Sabahi said the proposals were developed through studies, consultations and submissions through an online platform, and represented an agreement with voters that the party would seek to implement with “integrity and competence”.
The party says it has also examined its internal organisation and its years in government. Al-Sabahi said it had overcome its crisis through party congresses, renewed structures and improved communication. The PJD’s assessment of its defeat criticises some of its political and organisational decisions, while also alleging that unnamed actors undermined democratic choice through electoral corruption and disinformation. The source notes that these are the party’s explanations, not independently established findings.
The defeat has sharpened the PJD’s concern about younger voters. Imane Traifi of the PJD Youth said young people should become participants and decision-makers, rather than being treated mainly as voters during campaigns. Yet the party faces questions about the practical limits of its programme in office. During its previous time in government, Benkirane referred to “ghosts and crocodiles” as a metaphor for powerful interests that he said obstructed his administration.
The party’s stance on Israel illustrates the dilemma. The PJD opposes Morocco’s normalisation and continues to support the Palestinian cause, but diplomatic ties were restored in 2020 while the party was in government. Morocco and Israel later agreed to elevate their diplomatic missions to embassy level and expand air travel and economic cooperation. The PJD reaffirmed its opposition, raising questions about whether it now has a different view of governmental limits. The party says it seeks change within Morocco’s existing constitutional system and has reaffirmed its support for the monarchy.