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Morocco: Poll turnout reached a record high of 45 percent despite boycott calls
By African Bulletin on November 25, 2011
The November 2011 elections in Morocco were crucial in all forms. Crucial because it gave a path of hope to the populations to achieve democratic changes peacefully following the Arab Spring movements that knocked out of power Tunisian, Egyptian, Libyan, and Yemeni presidents.Moroccan king chose a wiser way of reform away from blast and blood by introducing a new constitution and early parliamentary elections.
Predictions for the winner were quiet hard in the absence of poll surveys so the talk focused on the turnout rate.
In the conference Center, many journalists and analysts were relieved where Interior Minister Taib Charkaoui showed up with a big smile around 8:41 PM to announce a 45 % voter turnout rate for the 2011 parliamentary elections. Comparing to the catastrophic voter turnout at the previous polls in 2007 that stood at a record low of 37 percent, this turnout rate was a real slam to all boycott calls.
State-run television channel said earlier that some of the highest turnout rates on Friday were in Western Sahara.
Elections were held under the new constitution that allows more power to the prime minister and parliament. The stake was to reach significant poll turnout figures. For most Moroccans, party programs were not really the issue and the talk was mostly about to vote or not to vote especially that boycott calls from February 20th movement predicted that the turnout will be as low as a quarter of the registered citizens. For most Analysts here in Morocco tonight, the turnout poll was meaningful and fair in such context.