Eight women from the Sahara elected to the Moroccan Parliament
The southern provinces of Morocco once again distinguished themselves by recording high levels of voter participation during the legislative elections on Wednesday 23 September, placing the Moroccan Sahara at the core of the democratic process and reaffirming public engagement in institutional life.
The 2026 electoral data reinforces a consolidated trend: the three southern regions recorded participation metrics significantly above the national average. While nationwide turnout declined from 50.86% in 2021 to 38.08% in 2026, southern constituencies maintained strong civic mobilisation exceeding 70% in key population centres.
On Wednesday 23 September, political attention across the North African kingdom focused on polling stations operating nationwide
High electoral mobilisation
On Wednesday 23 September, Morocco’s southern provinces witnessed robust citizen engagement to elect members of the House of Representatives, reaching certified turnout rates of 77% in Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, 61% in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, and 53.48% in Guelmim-Oued Noun, according to official tallies certified by the Ministry of the Interior of Morocco.
These figures align with the high voter turnout documented during previous electoral cycles. Electoral dynamics across these provinces were monitored by independent domestic observers accredited through the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) alongside international monitoring delegations operating under UN standards, reflecting the local electorate’s commitment to democratic participation.
Laâyoune, Western Sahara
In statements to the MAP news agency, Hamdani Moulay Boubkir Hamdani, president of the Centre for Strategic Reflection and Defence of Democracy in Laâyoune, highlighted that sustained participation reflects the commitment of southern electors to exercise their voting rights and shape the socioeconomic and institutional governance of the Sahara.
This civic engagement has strong precedents: in 2016, voter turnout in the constituency of Laâyoune reached 57.21%, whereas in the 2021 general elections participation rose to 66.94% in Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, 63.76% in Guelmim-Oued Noun, and 58.30% in Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, consolidating the prominence of the Sahara on Morocco’s electoral map.
Key contributing factors
The statistical data illustrates that electoral participation reflects nuanced local dynamics across each southern administrative area. These regional variations stem from competitive multiparty campaigns, party ground operations, local social networks, economic development priorities, and constituent expectations regarding parliamentary representation.
Across these territories, the election unfolded within a clear strategic framework: the international consolidation of the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, backed by successive UN Security Council resolutions and partner nations across the European Union. This consensus reinforces the ballot box as the primary vehicle for political representation.
National flags of Morocco in the Sahara
Voter engagement thus represents a convergence of factors: electing representatives to advance regional interests, public support for major capital investments in water desalination and renewable energy, and institutional trust in national governance bodies.
Despite sharing a common geopolitical landscape, the three regions exhibited distinct turnout patterns: while Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra achieved 77%, Guelmim-Oued Noun recorded 53.48%—a variance of more than 23 percentage points explained by territorial demographic dispersion and local socioeconomic characteristics.
Eight women from the Sahara elected to the Moroccan Parliament
Female political leadership in the southern provinces achieved a significant benchmark with the election of eight Sahrawi women to the House of Representatives: Moufida Widad (Istiqlal), Roqaya Cherif (Istiqlal), Aziza Baddad (PAM), Fatima Souidi (PPS), Asmaa Aouba (USFP), Fatima Ould Omar (Istiqlal), Zineb El Kouri (PAM), and Khadijatou Lkhleiki (MP).
The eight newly elected MPs represent five distinct political parties across Morocco’s ideological spectrum, ranging from the liberal-centre Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and the conservative Istiqlal Party, to the social democratic USFP, the progressive PPS, and the centre-right Popular Movement (MP).
View of the Parliament building in Rabat – PHOTO/REUTERS
Beyond the numerical count, the election of these eight parliamentarians reinforces the role of Sahrawi women within national legislative decision-making and in advancing public policy for their home constituencies.
Their parliamentary presence forms part of the broader contingent of 95 female deputies in the incoming legislature, integrating distinct perspectives from the Sahara into national debate with full democratic legitimacy.