Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Moroccans head to the polls today to vote in municipal elections, where the current government may be threatened by Islamists and the ever-growing Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM).  Dana Moss at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy evaluates the elections within the framework of the government’s main priorities in the election: “to avoid the embarrassment of the 2007 voter apathy and to prevent the Islamists from gaining ground.”

Moss points to the prevalence of a patronage-based political system, rampant corruption and empty promises as the reason for drifting political affiliations and widespread voter apathy. Despite developments in political players, including the PAM and greater female participation, she expects reports of high turnout to be signs not of democratic progress, but of normal Moroccan patronage and divide and rule politics.

The Source