Voter turnout stands at 43 pct in Morocco's parliamentary elections

The voter turnout in Morocco's parliamentary elections stood at around 43 percent, the Moroccan interior ministry announced Friday.

"According to the data from different prefectures and provinces of Morocco, the voting process took place in normal conditions," the Ministry said in a statement.

All polling stations were closed at 7 p.m. local time (1800 GMT), according to the legal provisions on the close of the poll, it added.

Voter turnout in the 2015 local elections was 53.67 percent, up from approximately 45 percent in the 2011 parliamentary vote.

Morocco's parliamentary elections are seen as a test for the popularity of the ruling Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD).

Protests in 2011 led to a new constitution and a parliamentary vote was held that year, which brought Abdelilah Benkirane's PJD to power.

The party faces strong competition from secular opposition, especially the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).

In the local and municipal elections in 2015, PJD lost by few votes to PAM nationally, but won almost all major cities.

Apart from the PJD-PAM dual, some analysts expect the Istiqlal Party (PI), the oldest party in the country, to do well in this election.

Around 15.7 million Moroccans are registered to vote and over 30 parties are due to take part in the election to win seats in the 395-member Chamber of Representatives, or the lower house of parliament.

Some 4,000 national and international observers have been accredited to monitor the parliamentary elections in Morocco. Endit