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Istiqlal Party

Morocco's oldest active party, born from the independence movement, which issued the 1944 Manifesto of Independence. It has sat in most governments since 1998 and led the Government in 1958 and 2007.

Morocco's oldest active party, born from the independence movement, which issued the 1944 Manifesto of Independence. It has sat in most governments since 1998 and led the Government in 1958 and 2007.

From the national movement to independence The Istiqlal Party was founded on 10 December 1943 by former members of the Moroccan Action Committee. Ahmed Balafrej was its first head, while Allal El Fassi held the title of leader. On 11 January 1944 the party issued the Manifesto of Independence, calling for Morocco's independence "under the aegis of His Majesty" .

After independence in 1956 the party was the leading political force, and Ahmed Balafrej headed the Government in 1958 . The rift between its conservative and left wings ended in the 1959 split that produced the National Union of Popular Forces .

Opposition, then the Koutla The party won 41 seats in the first parliament in 1963 and boycotted the 1970 election alongside the UNFP . After Allal El Fassi's death in 1974, M'hamed Boucetta led it until 1998 . In the 1990s it became a pillar of the Democratic Bloc (Koutla) that paved the way for the Alternance government .

From government to opposition and back The party sat in the governments of 1998–2011 and won the 2007 election with 52 seats, so its Secretary-General Abbas El Fassi became Prime Minister . Under Hamid Chabat it left the Benkirane government in July 2013 . Nizar Baraka was elected Secretary-General in 2017, and the party returned to government after winning 81 seats in 2021 . In 2026 it won 65 seats and came third .

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