Morocco's PAM Party Proposes 350 Billion Dirham Program Ahead of September Vote
The scale of PAM's spending commitment places economic policy at the center of Morocco's September 23 legislative elections, with the proposal's funding mechanisms yet to be fully detailed.
Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has put forward a five-year economic and social program valued at approximately 350 billion dirhams ahead of the country's September 23, 2026 legislative elections, according to Hespress English.
The proposal was presented Saturday in Agadir by Fouzi Lekjaa, a member of PAM's political bureau and Morocco's minister delegate in charge of the budget. Lekjaa outlined the party's main economic and social priorities for the period running through 2031, though the Hespress English report did not specify the full breakdown of how the 350 billion dirhams would be allocated across policy areas.
At current exchange rates, 350 billion dirhams equals approximately $34 billion USD, according to standard currency conversion data as of September 2026. The figure represents a substantial commitment relative to Morocco's annual state budget, which the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance set at approximately 620 billion dirhams for fiscal year 2025.
PAM, formally known as the Parti Authenticite et Modernite, was founded in 2008. It is generally characterized as a centrist, secular party in Morocco's political landscape. The party currently holds seats in Morocco's House of Representatives and has positioned itself as a major competitor in prior legislative cycles.
Lekjaa's role as both a senior party figure and a sitting minister delegate for the budget gives him direct institutional knowledge of state finances, which PAM is likely using to lend credibility to the program's cost estimate. However, the Hespress English report does not detail how the 350 billion dirhams would be financed, whether through taxation, borrowing, or redirection of existing expenditures. That detail would be necessary to assess the program's fiscal feasibility.
Morocco holds legislative elections for its 395-seat House of Representatives under a proportional representation system. Multiple parties compete for seats, and coalition governments are common. The September 23 date places the election approximately two weeks after the program's announcement, giving parties limited time to respond to one another's platforms in public debate.
The announcement comes as Morocco continues to manage the economic and infrastructure demands associated with co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. The Moroccan government has previously committed to large-scale infrastructure investment tied to that event, and party platforms for the 2026 election cycle are expected to address how public spending will be structured in that context.
Morocco's most recent legislative elections were held in September 2021, when the National Rally of Independents (RNI) won the largest share of seats, displacing the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which had led the government since 2011. PAM finished second in 2021, according to official results published by Morocco's Ministry of Interior. The current election will determine whether PAM can build on that position or surpass RNI.
The Hespress English report does not name other parties' competing program costs or summarize rival platforms announced ahead of September 23. What policy differences exist between PAM's program and those of RNI, the Istiqlal Party, and other major competitors would need to be drawn from party publications or official election commission filings to provide a full comparative picture.
Full details of the PAM program, including sectoral spending targets and financing sources, had not been publicly released in document form as of the date of the Hespress English report. Publication of the complete platform document would provide the data needed to evaluate the proposal's scope and internal consistency.