First legislative election, 1963
The first parliament elected under the 1962 Constitution, won by the pro-palace Front for the Defence of Constitutional Institutions ahead of Istiqlal and the UNFP.
The first parliament elected under the 1962 Constitution, won by the pro-palace Front for the Defence of Constitutional Institutions ahead of Istiqlal and the UNFP.
Morocco's first legislative election was held on 17 May 1963 under the 1962 Constitution approved by referendum in December 1962. The 144 seats were contested by the Front for the Defence of Constitutional Institutions (FDIC), founded by royal adviser Ahmed Reda Guedira, the Istiqlal Party and the National Union of Popular Forces .
The Front won 69 seats without an absolute majority, against 41 for Istiqlal and 28 for the UNFP; turnout was 71.79%. Court challenges annulled several opposition seats, and by-elections in January 1964 consolidated the Front's position .
Why it matters This parliament did not last: in June 1965 King Hassan II declared a state of exception and dissolved Parliament, beginning a period of direct rule until 1970. The 1963 experience first set out a divide that would shape Moroccan politics for decades: national-movement parties against formations close to the administration .
Sources
- 1963 Moroccan general election · Wikipedia · 2026-09-28
- Front for the Defence of Constitutional Institutions · Wikipedia · 2026-09-28