A new Moroccan political party grouping King Mohammed's staunchest supporters has won most seats in local elections, preliminary official results showed on Saturday. With more than 80 percent of seats counted, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) had 4,854 seats, ahead of the governing Istiqlal (Independence) party with 4,246, according to figures from the Interior Ministry carried by the state news agency MAP.
PAM, created last year by lawmakers from five parties, has positioned itself as an alternative to both opposition Islamists and Istiqlal, and has sought to combat voter apathy with promises to follow through on policy commitments. It is the brainchild of Fouad Ali Himma, a former deputy interior minister and close friend of the king, who has won strong backing at home and abroad for reforms to combat poverty, improve the business climate and bolster women's rights.
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