Moroccans vote in local poll featuring new 'king's party'

Rabat, Morocco - Moroccans were voting Friday in local elections amid suspense over the results for a controversial new 'king's party.' About 13 million of the north African kingdom's more than 30 million residents were eligible to elect nearly 28,000 members to 1,500 municipal councils. Much attention was directed at the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), formed by a close friend of King Mohammed VI. Analysts occupied themselves trying to guess how the party's alleged proximity to the kind would affect the vote's outcome. The Interior Ministry announced an 'encouraging' voter turnout of 12 per cent by midday. Voting was proceeding without significant problems, the ministry said. The elections coincided with a decentralization process designed to give greater powers to the local authorities, in areas ranging from infrastructure to tourism. The elections were also seen as a test for centre-right Prime Minister Abbas el-Fassi's coalition government, which has been accused of lacking a solid programme, despite Morocco's economy weathering the global crisis relatively well. The economy will grow 5.4 per cent this year, according to the African Development Bank. El-Fassi's nationalist Istiqlal and the socialist USFP, both members of the governing coalition, are currently the strongest parties on local level. However, PAM is presenting a new challenge. The party was founded by Fouad Ali el-Himma, a friend of the king who used to operate as a guiding force in the Interior Ministry under the title of delegate interior minister. The party has 46 MPs in the 325-member parliament and was founded in 2008. It has drawn politicians of other parties who are said to be attracted by the power of el-Himma, analysts said. Some analysts believe el-Himma represents royal interests, while others accuse him of taking advantage of his reputation as a man close to the palace. PAM has surpassed the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) as the biggest national opposition party. It recently withdrew its support from the government, forcing it to lose its majority in May. PAM fielded a large number of candidates in the local elections, using a campaign presenting it as a fresh alternative. It also promised to involve local leaders in development programmes. The party wooed voters disillusioned with local politicians, who are often accused of self-interest and incompetence. The Islamist PJD was expected to do well in urban, rather than rural, areas. A quota reserved at least 12 per cent of the communal council seats for women. Final election results were not expected until Saturday morning.