Casablanca – Morocco’s National Rally of Independents (RNI) is entering the September 23 legislative elections from a position of political strength, but also with the burden of defending the record of a government it has led since 2021. As the largest party in the current House of Representatives and the main force behind the governing coalition, the RNI is seeking another mandate at a time when employment, purchasing power, public services and the implementation of social programs are central to the political debate. 

The party is the first subject of a series examining the main Moroccan political parties competing in the 2026 elections and their prospects of contributing to, or leading, the next government. Its position at the start of the series reflects its current status as the head of the governing coalition. 

Founded in 1978 by Ahmed Osman, the RNI emerged from a grouping of independent parliamentarians and political figures with varied backgrounds. Rather than developing initially around a single ideological doctrine, the party brought together different political and economic interests within one organization. Over the decades, it experienced leadership changes and internal divisions, while maintaining a consistent presence in Morocco’s political institutions. 

The party’s political trajectory has included several changes at the top. Osman was succeeded by Mustapha Mansouri in 2007, followed by Salaheddine Mezouar in 2010. Aziz Akhannouch took over the presidency in 2016 and led the party into the 2021 legislative elections. 

That election marked a major turning point for the RNI. It won 102 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, emerging as the largest parliamentary party. King Mohammed VI subsequently appointed Akhannouch as head of government, and the RNI formed a governing coalition with the Authenticity and Modernity Party and Istiqlal. The coalition provided the government with a broad parliamentary majority and placed the RNI at the center of national policymaking for the following five years. 

The party is now approaching the 2026 election with a different internal leadership structure. In February, Mohamed Chaouki was elected RNI president, replacing Akhannouch after around a decade at the party’s helm. Chaouki had previously headed the RNI parliamentary group. Akhannouch, however, remains head of government, meaning that the party’s new leadership does not amount to a complete break with the political record of the current administration. 

This distinction is particularly relevant to the coming campaign. Chaouki will lead the party organization and its electoral campaign, while the government’s performance will remain closely associated with Akhannouch and the RNI. The party must therefore present itself as a political force capable of renewing its leadership while defending policies implemented during its first term in government. 

Since 2021, the RNI-led government has placed social protection, investment, employment, healthcare and economic development among its principal priorities. The expansion of Morocco’s social protection system has been one of the government’s most significant policy areas, alongside the introduction of direct social assistance and financial support for housing. 

The government has also maintained high levels of public investment and pursued measures intended to encourage private investment and job creation. Large infrastructure programs have gained additional importance as Morocco prepares for major international events, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup, while investment has remained central to the government’s broader economic strategy. 

The economic record provides the RNI with arguments to present to voters, but it also exposes the party to criticism over issues that remain unresolved. Morocco recorded strong economic growth in 2025, while inflation eased considerably compared with the pressures experienced earlier in the decade. Public investment has continued to support infrastructure and development projects. 

Employment, however, remains a major challenge. Unemployment reached 10.8% in the first quarter of 2026, while the rate among young people stood at 29.2%. The figures underline the difficulty of translating economic growth and investment into sufficient employment opportunities, particularly for younger Moroccans. 

Purchasing power is another issue likely to shape the electoral debate. Although inflation has moderated, households continue to assess government performance through the cost of essential goods and services. Questions surrounding healthcare, education, employment and the quality of public services are similarly expected to feature prominently during the campaign. 

The RNI has sought to address these concerns through its 2026-2031 electoral program, built around the theme of “Dignity and Opportunities for All.” The program focuses on purchasing power, employment and public services, while seeking to extend policies introduced during the current government term. 

The party’s challenge is to convince voters that these commitments can deliver tangible improvements while demonstrating that its previous policies have produced measurable results. This is a different task from that faced by opposition parties, which can campaign primarily on criticism of the government’s record. As the party at the head of government, the RNI will be judged on both what it promised in 2021 and what it has delivered since then. 

The electoral contest will also take place within a political system where winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee the ability to govern alone. Morocco’s 395-member House of Representatives requires a party seeking to control the government to build a parliamentary majority through coalition-building. 

This makes the RNI’s relationships with other major parties particularly important. The Authenticity and Modernity Party and Istiqlal, its partners in the current government, are themselves competing to increase their parliamentary weight. At the same time, opposition parties will seek to capitalize on dissatisfaction with government performance and improve their representation. 

The September 23 election will therefore determine more than the ranking of individual parties. It will establish the balance of power from which the next governing coalition will emerge. For the RNI, retaining first place would give it a strong claim to lead negotiations over the formation of the next government, although the final composition of any coalition will depend on the distribution of seats. 

The party’s new leadership, its five-year governing record and its response to economic and social concerns will consequently be central to its campaign. The RNI enters the election with the advantages of incumbency, organizational experience and a record of major policy initiatives, but it also faces the scrutiny that comes with having been responsible for government decisions since 2021. 

The September vote will ultimately provide the clearest test yet of the RNI’s political standing after its first full term at the head of government. Its performance will show whether it can retain its position as Morocco’s largest parliamentary force and remain the principal contender to lead the next government, or whether the election will produce a significantly different balance among the country’s major political parties.