Rabat — Morocco’s Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) is sharpening its message ahead of the 2026 legislative elections. In a televised interview on the program « Nokta ila Assatr, » party secretary-general Mohamed Nabil Benabdellah said his movement will enter the race with strong resolve, aiming for results solid enough to help shape the country’s next government.
The veteran left-wing politician, a former housing minister, did not spare the outgoing cabinet. He singled out persistently high unemployment, eroding purchasing power and rising prices as signs of deep structural imbalances that demand a serious policy overhaul. Morocco, he argued, has notched real achievements in recent years, yet the current government has fallen short in tackling social and economic challenges, and in explaining its choices to ordinary citizens.
Benabdellah devoted much of the interview to what he described as the root of public distrust: conflicts of interest and illicit enrichment among officials. Breaking with these practices, he said, is the essential entry point for rebuilding confidence between citizens and the state. Should the PPS lead a future coalition, he pledged a new legal framework specifically designed to curb conflicts of interest and strengthen transparency in public administration.
He also voiced concern over what he sees as a decline in serious political and intellectual debate across Morocco, in parties, the media, universities and cultural life alike. Part of the blame, he suggested, lies with the rise of populist and sometimes aggressive rhetoric online, where social media influencers increasingly shape the relationship between politicians and the public. He called for restoring genuine pluralism of ideas and shifting the electoral contest back toward competing programs rather than personal attacks.
On the social front, the PPS platform is expected to prioritize expanding health coverage, boosting support for education, and reforming taxation to ease pressure on household budgets. The party plans to formally unveil its election manifesto on September 1, after months of work by internal experts and an expanded steering committee.
Benabdellah made clear that any future PPS alliances would hinge neither on a particular individual nor a particular party, but on the outcome of the vote and the substance of rival programs. He acknowledged the PPS could have remained inside the previous governing coalition, but chose the opposition benches after concluding the government’s direction no longer matched the party’s vision.
