Record poll stayaway worries Moroccan politicians

RABAT, Sep 9 (Reuters) The clear message to Morocco's politicians from Friday's elections in the north African kingdom is that they remain out of touch for ordinary voters, who stayed away from polling stations in record numbers.

Officials said the 37-per cent turnout in Friday's contest, won by a conservative party of the ruling coalition, was a worrying sign of apathy in a country that prizes its stability in a region suffering from deprivation and political violence.

''The turnout rate challenges all political parties, civic society and the government on how we communicate with voters and connect with people,'' Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa told reporters when issuing the results yesterday.

The main opposition Islamists said they had been robbed of victory by vote buying. The government dismissed the claim but said it would examine any evidence.

The polls for the lower chamber of Parliament were the second since King Mohammed came to the throne in 1999 and saw 33 parties vie with dozens of independents for seats in the 325-member assembly.

A complex voting system made it almost impossible for any group to win a majority and real power in the country of 33 million people will remain with King Mohammed, who is executive head of state, military chief and religious leader.

Political analysts said the low turnout cast doubt on the king's cautious approach to expanding social and economic reforms while keeping tight control of the levers of power.

Some have said the king had effectively made political parties in government look redundant as he spearheaded most top projects such as highways, ports and the largest foreign investments.

ISOLATED IRREGULARITIES The turnout was the lowest in 50 years and 19 percent of those who cast their ballots spoiled them, according to the government data.

''This level of participation raises open questions for us all, whether we are in the government or political parties, to consider this issue and find solutions to it,'' Benmoussa said.

The elections were orderly and professional but marked by isolated irregularities, a multinational team of observers deployed by the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) said in a statement.

It said Friday's vote was characterised by ''strict transparency and professionalism'' but it found some cases of vote-buying, multiple voting and scuffles near polling centres.

''The low voter turnout and significant number of protest votes suggest the Moroccan authorities will need to undertake further political reforms in order to encourage widespread engagement in the political process,'' the NDI said.

The boycott by so many voters will disappoint Washington, which holds Morocco up as an example of how steady progress towards democracy in an Arab country can sap support for jihadist groups who reject democracy as a Western import.

The moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) had portrayed itself as a clean-hands alternative to the secular governing parties yet many voters apparently rejected them all.

The election campaign began under a state of high alert after al Qaeda's North African branch threatened to broaden its activities across the Maghreb.

Seven suicide bombers detonated explosive belts in March and April in Casablanca, killing themselves and a police officer. In 2003, suicide bombings killed 45 people in the city, which has a population of about 4.5 million of whom 500,000 lives in slums.

The lowest turnout in Friday's elections was in Casablanca, where only 27 per cent of voters showed up.

Provisional results showed Istiqlal (Independence) won 52 seats overall, ahead of the PJD with 47 seats, Benmoussa said.

The liberal conservative Popular Movement and the National Rally of Independents won 43 and 38 seats respectively, while the Socialist Union of Popular Forces won 36.

REUTERS TB RN0546