Islamists cry foul in Moroccan elections

RABAT, Sep 8 (Reuters) Opposition Moroccan Islamists running on an anti-corruption ticket said today they were likely to become the largest party in parliament after elections marked by a record low turnout.

But the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) scaled back earlier expectations that it would enjoy a spectacular increase in representation, saying vote buying by political rivals had skewed the result.

''Dirty money has been flowing into the voting system. We have the proof and we will challenge this,'' PJD deputy leader Lahcen Daoudi told supporters in Rabat. ''It is not only sad for us, it is sad for Moroccan democracy.'' The United States will be looking at the final poll results with interest, given Washington's fears of a growth in radical Islamism in north Africa and an apparent push by al Qaeda to infiltrate the energy exporting region.

Morocco has seen less of the kind of unrest that besets neighbouring Algeria, where a car bomb on Saturday killed 22 people. Algeria's violence broke out in 1992 when military-backed authorities scrapped parliamentary elections than an Islamist party was set to win.

In Rabat, jubilation broke out in the early hours at PJD headquarters with party agents claiming victory and handing out dates and milk, a local custom that usually marks holy events.

Daoudi later told supporters the best they could hope for was 55 seats, more than the current 42 but below predictions in the early hours today of at least 70 seats.

''I understand perfectly their disappointment,'' said Malik Jeddaoui, an election campaign manager for the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), leading partner in the outgoing coalition government. ''If they have evidence of corruption they must hand it to judicial authorities. As for us, we played strictly by the rules of the democratic game.'' The PJD emphasises conservative family values and ethics in public life, a message popular in lower-income suburbs, and is the third-largest party in the outgoing parliament.

Political analysts say the PJD could win cabinet seats if it becomes the top party after the contest between 33 parties and dozens of independents seeking seats in the 325-member assembly.

SCEPTICAL But a complex voting system will make it almost impossible for any group to win a majority and, whatever the outcome, real power will remain with King Mohammed, who combines roles as executive head of state, military chief and religious leader.

The polls are the second parliamentary vote under the 44-year-old monarch, who ascended the throne in 1999 on a wave of popularity after the iron-fisted rule of his father and has spearheaded gradual reforms but kept tight control of power.

Many Moroccans are sceptical about the elections and complain that winning candidates soon forget campaign promises, change their mobile phone numbers and disappear from view.

Voters said they found it hard to fathom the complex voting system or choose from a myriad of parties. Some thought they were choosing municipal councils and had asked candidates if they would build local schools and clinics.

The government said yesterday's vote, the first to be monitored by international observers, was free and fair. Turnout would probably end up at a record low 41 percent.

That may alarm the secular establishment, which sees Morocco's emerging democracy as a bulwark against religious extremism and wants support for the moderate PJD to undermine recruiting efforts by jihadists.

Foreign investors have turned to Morocco because of its social stability, determination to modernise and integrate its economy into world markets and general openness to foreigners.

Preliminary results were expected later today, with final official results due late tomorrow.

REUTERS PDT BST2030