Laws, Decrees, Orders… Here Is the New Electoral Framework

Digitalization: Generalize, Liberalize and Regulate

One of the major challenges for the September 23, 2026 elections lies in the growing influence of information technologies on political debate.

In 2021, social networks, messaging applications and AI tools had no status in Moroccan electoral law. For the first time in the history of Moroccan legislation, specific legal and regulatory provisions have been introduced to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and social networks during the campaign.

This does not mean, either, that the public authorities are failing to take into account the significant contribution of these technological tools to improving the quality of the electoral campaign.

Thus, measures have been taken to incorporate expenses related to digital communication into the overall ceiling on campaign expenses.

The objective is twofold. First, it is a matter of ensuring fairness among candidates, regardless of their budget. At the same time, it is a question of protecting voters against disinformation or algorithmic manipulation tactics.

Thus, Decree 2.26.301 (Official Gazette No. 7502, April 23, 2026) and Law 55.25 create, for the first time, explicit normative categories: digital campaign, online electoral poll, deepfake, falsified content for electoral purposes.

Concretely, it is now prohibited to conduct or publish electoral opinion polls via social networks, artificial intelligence tools or digital platforms during legally prohibited periods.

As the management of electoral lists has already been partially digitalized, registration and the polling station are confirmed by simple SMS. This information system is centralized and managed by the services of the supervising ministry.

The authentication of requests is based on sending a confirmation code by email, guaranteeing the identity of the applicant. Law No. 55.25, relating to electoral lists, indeed provides that the committees responsible for revising the lists may notify their decisions by email when voters have provided an email address.

For Moroccans Residing Abroad (MRE), proxies are also dematerialized, and can be completed via a secure platform with automatic transmission to the polling station authority.

Similarly, the “elections.ma” platform, which has existed for several years, has now been expanded to also manage certain electoral operations, such as the submission of candidacies.

Concretely, the digital procedure takes place according to the following steps:

First, the creation by the list representative of a separate account for each constituency (local or regional).

Next, the online completion of a candidacy declaration form with electronic attachment of the required documents.

Then, the issuance of a provisional receipt mentioning the registration number, the date and time of submission. The operation is completed by the subsequent submission of the original physical file to the competent authority (wilaya or prefecture) on the date set.

Money, Young People and Women

In the electoral battle, the nerve of war is of paramount importance. The overall envelope mobilized for the 2026 legislative elections amounts to 450 million dirhams, including 400 million dirhams for political parties and 50 million dirhams reserved for young candidates without party affiliation.

For the legislator, money must serve not to create discrimination against parties with limited resources, but to encourage political and electoral pluralism.

This has been the case since the establishment of the campaign financing mechanism for political parties’ electoral campaigns.

In this logic, the financing of electoral campaigns was profoundly reconfigured by the 2026 reform, in such a way as to meet two imperatives. On the one hand, the adjustment of ceilings and procedures for parties.

On the other, the creation of an unprecedented system of differentiated support in favor of candidates belonging to underrepresented categories, young people, women and MRE …

In concrete terms, Decree No. 2.26.300 updates the general system of the State’s contribution to the financing of political parties’ electoral campaigns, in force since 2016.

The main changes concern the increase in the ceiling on electoral expenditure per candidate, which has been raised to 600,000 dirhams, compared with 500,000 dirhams previously.

This 20% increase takes into account inflation and the rising cost of campaigns in the digital age. The text also provides for an increase in the annual threshold for donations, bequests and gifts, which has in turn been raised to 800,000 dirhams per donor, compared with 300,000 dirhams previously.

The decree simultaneously introduces safeguards for greater transparency in the management of this financial windfall.

The first measure provided for is the obligation to pay the financial support of parties to their candidates exclusively by bank transfer or cheque, eliminating cash transactions for the sake of traceability.

The second provision introduced by this decree requires public funding to be allocated exclusively to press, printing and digital activities expenses, thus regulating eligible expenditure items.

The same text also provides for a cap on digital expenditure of 5 million dirhams per party.

However, the major innovation of this decree lies in the establishment of a financial bonus system in favor of the targeted categories. Public support is thus multiplied by 6 for each seat won by a woman, a young candidate under 35 years of age on the date of the election, or a Moroccan residing abroad.

According to observers, this incentive mechanism, rare in comparable electoral systems, reflects an explicit political desire to reshape the sociological composition of the House of Representatives.

It aims to remove the economic barriers that hinder these categories’ access to electoral competition. Taking the logic of renewal—especially the rejuvenation—of political elites further, another decree (No. 2.26.311) was adopted on April 16, 2026. This text constitutes an essential component of the mechanism for encouraging youth participation.

It governs the public financial support granted to lists composed exclusively of candidates under 35 years of age, whether presented by parties or independently.

Thus, independent youth lists (mixed, alternating, with candidates under 35 years of age on election day) benefit from reimbursement of 75% of the campaign expenses actually incurred.

And this, within the limit of 75% of the legal ceiling on electoral expenditure. This support is drawn from the overall envelope of the State’s contribution to the financing of parties’ campaigns.

The conditions for granting it are rigorous and verifiable.

Candidates are thus required to present a written electoral program, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposals for parliamentary work, a detailed statement of funding sources, supported by a bank certificate, as well as supporting documents for expenses validated by a chartered accountant. This mechanism is subject to review by the Court of Auditors.

Integrity, Ethical Standards and Zero Tolerance

Over the course of electoral deadlines, the moralization of the electoral process has for decades been one of the primary concerns of the public authorities.

Today, it remains one of the founding pillars of the 2026 reform, in a context marked by the clear political will, affirmed and reaffirmed on every occasion since the beginning of the reign, to firmly establish a culture of transparency, probity and accountability in Moroccan political life.

In this logic, the amendment of Organic Law No. 53.25, validated by the Constitutional Court in December 2025, significantly tightens the conditions required to stand for legislative elections.

This is done by expanding the list of citizens barred from standing for election to include persons convicted at first instance of a crime, those convicted on appeal of an offense, or any person prosecuted in flagrante delicto for acts undermining ethics, morality, probity and financial integrity, or the credibility of the electoral process.

Persons convicted of corruption, embezzlement of public funds, manipulation of the ballot or undermining public probity can no longer stand for legislative elections, nor can persons who have violated the duty of discretion or disclosed privileged information in the course of sensitive public functions.

The candidacy is rejected or annulled even if the facts are established after the submission of the files.

A member of parliament placed in pretrial detention for more than six months may, moreover, be stripped of their mandate following a decision by the Constitutional Court.

In the fight against electoral fraud and manipulation, Law No. 55.25 expands the list of electoral offenses and strengthens sanctions against fraudulent behavior.

The recent amendments to this text provide, in this regard, for heavier sanctions for fraudulent voter registration or falsification of data, as well as for the use of fraudulent means intended to influence the results.