Islamist party claims victory in Morocco's first election since Arab Spring

Morocco's main Islamist party, the Justice and Development Party claims it has won more than 100 out of 395 seats in parliament, in polls described by the party as a "historic turning point". Early Saturday, before any results had been announced, the party was already saying they were well ahead of their rivals. 

AFP Photo/Abdelhak Senna

Moroccans voted on Friday in the first legislative election since King Mohammed VI introduced constitutional reforms in response to the Arab Spring uprisings

The election comes less than five months after a July referendum overwhelmingly approved a new constitution proposed by the king as autocratic regimes toppled in nearby Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.

Under the amended constitution some of the powers of the king, who hails from a monarchy that has ruled Morocco for 350 years, were transferred to parliament.

The prime minister must now be appointed from the party that wins the most seats in the assembly. But the 47-year-old monarch remains the head of state and the military and still appoints ambassadors and diplomats.

Provisional interior ministry figures put the turnout at 45 per cent, up from 37 per cent from the last parliamentary election in 2007, but lower than the 51.6 per cent turnout recorded in 2002.

Final election results will only be announced on Sunday afternoon.

In all, 31 parties are vying for the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament - 70 more than during the last election.