How a political shell transformed into Morocco's ruling Islamist party
In short: In 1998, a political entity that many considered an empty shell underwent a radical metamorphosis. By integrating underground movements, the Justice and Development Party rose from the fringes to lead Moroccan coalition governments, only to face a sudden, crushing electoral collapse decades later.
The Justice and Development Party (PJD) has a complex lineage rooted in the reorganization of the Constitutional Democratic Popular Movement (MPDC). Originally founded in 1967 by Abdelkrypt al-Khatib, the MPDC was essentially a hollow structure until the late 1990s. The party's modern identity emerged when members of the Movement of Unity and Reform (MUR)—a group stemming from the clandestine Chabiba Islamia association—joined the fold. This integration, reportedly encouraged by former interior minister Driss Basri, gave the PJD its current conservative Islamist orientation.
As a proponent of 'Islamic democracy,' the PJD operates within the framework of Morocco's constitutional monarchy. While the party maintains historical links to the Muslim Brotherhood, it has never functioned as an official branch of that organization. Its platform focuses on preserving Morocco's Islamic identity through legislative means, while simultaneously advocating for economic reform, human rights, and enhanced democracy. During its period of governance, the party's leadership, including figures like Saadeddine Othmani and Abdelilah Benkirane, pursued economic targets such as reducing the jobless rate and strengthening ties with the European Union and the Gulf Co-operation Council.
The party's trajectory has been marked by extreme volatility. After winning a plurality of seats in the 2011 parliamentary election, Benkirane became Prime Minister in November 2011. However, the party's dominance was short-lived. In the 2021 general election, the PJD suffered a massive defeat, plummeting from 125 seats to just 13. This decline was accompanied by heightened political friction, such as a 2023 dispute involving the royal cabinet following the party's criticism of Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Justice and Development Party (Morocco)
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