zexet.dev

Justice and Development Party

An Islamist-oriented party that led the Government for ten years (2012–2021), collapsed to 13 seats in 2021 and made a strong comeback with 54 seats in 2026.

An Islamist-oriented party that led the Government for ten years (2012–2021), collapsed to 13 seats in 2021 and made a strong comeback with 54 seats in 2026.

From the constitutional movement to Justice and Development The party grew out of the Popular Democratic and Constitutional Movement founded by Abdelkrim al-Khatib in 1967. Members of the Movement of Unity and Reform joined it in 1996, and it took its current name in 1998 . It entered Parliament with nine seats in 1997 and jumped to 42 seats in 2002 despite running in only part of the districts .

Ten years at the head of government Against the backdrop of the 2011 protests and the new constitution, the party won the November 2011 election with 107 seats, and its Secretary-General Abdelilah Benkirane became the first head of government from an Islamist-oriented party . In 2016 it achieved its best-ever result (125 seats), but coalition talks stalled until Benkirane was dismissed and replaced by Saadeddine Othmani in March 2017 .

Collapse, then comeback In 2021 the party lost 112 seats and fell to just 13, one of the heaviest electoral defeats in the region . Benkirane returned to lead it , and in 2026 it made the strongest comeback of the vote with 54 seats .

Sources