CASABLANCA, Morocco — Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party won the most seats in the country’s parliamentary election, taking 97 of 395 seats in the House of Representatives, according to final results announced by the Interior Ministry on Friday.

The party, founded by a royal adviser close to King Mohammed VI and known by its French acronym PAM, fell short of an absolute majority and will need to negotiate with other parties to form a successor to the current coalition, which it has been a major part of for years.

The election was shaped by mounting frustration among young people, high unemployment despite a thriving economy and demands for better schools, hospitals and housing.

It was the first vote since the deadly mass migration attempts to Ceuta in July and the Gen Z-led protests last year.

The next government will oversee billions of dollars in investment as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup, prompting some to describe it as the “World Cup government.” The new political leadership will also face pressure to address everyday concerns, including jobs, wages and the cost of living.

Despite a major drug- and gold-trafficking scandal allegedly involving some senior PAM members, several of whom were sentenced to prison, the party weathered the political fallout and won more seats than in the previous election.

The National Rally of Independents, or RNI, part of the outgoing governing coalition,........

© The Times of Israel