The center party, National Rally of Independents (RNI), topped the elections, held Friday in Morocco to renew one third of the Chamber of Councilors, the upper house of parliament, according to the Moroccan news agency (MAP).
Citing the results announced Friday night by interior minister, Ahmed El Midaoui, RNI, which participates in the center-left coalition government, won 14 of the 81 seats vied for by the political parties in two of the three colleges: local councils (54 seats) and professional chambers (27 seats).
The third college (wage-earners) is reserved to trade unions.
The National Popular Movement (MNP/in government) came in second with 12 seats and the National Democrat Party (PND/opposition) ranked third with 10 seats.
Following is the ranking of all political parties according to their performance in the Friday poll, according to the agency:
RNI: 14 seats
MNP: 12
PND: 10 seats
Popular Movement (MP): 9 seats
Constitutional Union (UC): 8 seats
Istiqlal Party (PI): 7 seats
Social Democratic Movement (MDS): 6 seats
Front of Democratic Forces (FFD): 5 seats
Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP): 3 seats
Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS): 2 seats
Action party (PA): 2 seats
Socialist Democratic Party (PSD): 2 seats
Democracy and Independence Party (PDI): 1 seat.
In the wage-earners body, the Confederation Democratique du Travail (CDT, close to the USFP) won 4 out of the 9 seats vied for, followed by L'Union Marocaine du Travail (UMT) 2 seats, L'Union Generale des Travailleurs du Maroc (UGTM) 2 seats and l'Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Maroc (UNMT) 1 seat.
The Moroccan Parliament consists of two chambers : the House of Representatives, and the House of Councilors.
The 325 members of the House of Representatives are directly elected for 5 years in 325 single-member constituencies by simple majority vote. Voting is not compulsory.
The 270 councilors are elected for a 9-year term by electoral colleges comprising members of local and regional colleges who elect 162 members; and representatives of industry, agriculture and trade unions who chose 108 members – (Several Sources)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
