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Turnout in landmark Morocco vote up from last election

By AFP
Morocco Electoral agents carry the ballot box prior vote counting.  By Abdelhak Senna AFP
NOV 25, 2011 LISTEN
Electoral agents carry the ballot box prior vote counting. By Abdelhak Senna (AFP)

RABAT (AFP) - Voter turnout in the first legislative election since Morocco's king introduced constitutional reforms after the Arab Spring uprising was 45 percent, Interior Minister Taib Cherkaoui said Friday.

That compares to a turnout of 37 percent in the last election in 2007 but is lower than the 51.6 percent turnout recorded in 2002 and the 58.3 percent posted in the 1997 polls.

"The election took place in a normal context, under a climate of mobilization and a sense of responsibility," Cherkaoui told a news conference.

Analysts said a high voter turnout would give credibility to the reform of the constitution approved in a July referendum which gives parliament and the prime minister more powers.

The constitutional changes obligate King Mohammed VI to choose the prime minister from the party that wins the most seats in parliament, rather than a wild-card candidate of his choice.

The prime minister also now has the power to dismiss parliament.

Morocco's pro-reform February 20 protest movement, which has been trying to emulate Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, called on voters to boycott the elections. It says the constitutional reforms are insufficient.

The main contenders in the election are the moderately Islamist Justice and Development party which is expected to make strong gains and a handful of liberal, secular parties.

Morocco's complex proportional representation system lends itself to fractured parliaments and no party is expected to obtain an absolute majority on its own so the winner will have to govern in a coalition.

In all, 31 parties are vying for the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament.

Voting stations closed at 7:00 pm (1900 GMT) with the first provisional official results not expected before midnight.

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