HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The Secretary-General of the Progress and Socialism Party, Mohamed Nabil Benabdelkader, affirmed that the results obtained by the party in the recent legislative elections reflect, according to the initial assessment of the leadership, "real resilience" against a number of negative factors that characterized the elections, although they did not reach the level of the expectations and ambitions of the party's militants.
Benabdelkader stated in the Political Bureau's report to the extraordinary session of the party's Central Committee that Progress and Socialism contested the elections after months of preparation and organizational work, and managed to cover all local and regional legislative constituencies, with a renewal rate in its lists exceeding 80 percent.
He pointed out that 72 percent of the party's candidates held higher university degrees, in addition to nominating nine young figures under the age of 35, and seven women at the head of lists in local legislative constituencies.
In its assessment of the electoral process, the party noted that low voter turnout had a significant impact on the results, considering that abstention affected wide segments of voters, especially those categories that the party usually relied on for political and electoral participation.
The report also criticized what it considered the exclusion of about two million voters from the electoral lists without notifying them of the need to re-register, pointing out that about 62 percent of registered voters did not go to the polls.
The Progress and Socialism Party also criticized what it described as the use of huge financial resources by a number of candidates, exceeding, according to the report, the legally permitted financial ceiling, in addition to delays in announcing the results and the non-submission of minutes from some constituencies within the required deadlines.
On the other hand, Benabdelkader praised the efforts made by the party's candidates, militants, and working teams during the election campaign, emphasizing that the party contested the elections with an electoral program described as cohesive and distinguished, alongside a communication campaign aimed at addressing segments not participating in the electoral process.
The Secretary-General affirmed that the party will continue its struggle, stressing that the national leadership will work to deepen the assessment of the results and draw the necessary lessons for the next stage.
