The Socialist Union of Popular Forces (Arabic: الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية, romanized: Al-Ittihad Al-Ishtirakiy Lilqawat Al-Sha'abiyah; Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵏⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵏⵉⵖⴰⵍⵍⵏ ⵉⴳⴷⵓⴷⴰⵏⵏ; French: Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires, USFP) is a social democratic[2] political party in Morocco.
Socialist Union of Popular Forces الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵏⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵏⵉⵖⴰⵍⵍⵏ ⵉⴳⴷⵓⴷⴰⵏⵏ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Secretary | Driss Lachgar |
| Founded | 12 January 1975[1] |
| Split from | National Union of Popular Forces |
| Headquarters | Rabat, Morocco |
| Newspaper | Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki (Arabic) Libération (French) |
| Ideology | Social democracy[2] |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| European affiliation | Party of European Socialists (observer) |
| International affiliation | Socialist International Progressive Alliance |
| Colours | Purple, White |
| House of Representatives | 37 / 395 |
| House of Councillors | 8 / 120 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 1 / 5 (Morocco seats) |
| Website | |
| www | |
History and profile
editThe USFP was formed as a breakaway from the National Union of Popular Forces (UNFP), a socialist opposition party which had itself split from the Istiqlal Party in 1959.[3] The USFP was established in 1975.[4][5]
The party won the 1997 parliamentary election,[6] and led the government of Morocco with a centre-left coalition.[6] During this period, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who led the USFP, served as the Prime Minister of Morocco.[6]
In the parliamentary election held on 27 September 2002, the party won 50 out of 325 seats, making it the largest party in the Moroccan parliament. Following those elections, it formed a government with the Istiqlal Party in a three-party coalition known as the "Koutla".
In the next parliamentary election, held on 7 September 2007, the USFP won 38 out of 325 seats, losing 12 seats and becoming only the fifth largest party in parliament.[7] The USFP was included in the government of Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, formed on 15 October 2007.[8]
The USFP is a full member of the Socialist International[9] and an observer of the Party of European Socialists.[10]
In the run-up to the November 2011 parliamentary elections, the USFP sought to present a united front with the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) and Democratic Forces Front (FFD) to reverse the loss of support for the Moroccan left in the preceding years.[11] The party placed fifth, with 39 seats, in the 2011 elections.[12]
The USFP won 34 seats in the 2021 parliamentary election, an increase of 14 seats since the last election.[13][14]
Electoral performance
edit| Year | Number of votes | % | Seats in the House of Representatives |
Position in Parliament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 116,470
|
2.31
|
1 / 264
|
Opposition |
| 1984 | 550,291
|
12.39
|
35 / 301
|
Opposition |
| 1993 | 820,641
|
13.2
|
52 / 333
|
Opposition |
| 1997 | 884,061
|
13.9
|
57 / 325
|
Leading government under Abderrahmane Youssoufi |
| 2002 | 718,725
|
15.38
|
50 / 325
|
Part of the government |
| 2007 | 408,945
|
8.9
|
38 / 325
|
Part of the government |
| 2011 | 408,108
|
8.6
|
39 / 395
|
Opposition |
| 2016 | 367,622
|
5.06
|
20 / 395
|
Part of the government |
| 2021 | 590,215
|
7.80
|
34 / 395
|
Opposition |
References
edit- ^ "بيان المؤتمر الاستثنائي 1975". الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية (in Arabic). 20 August 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
- ^ a b El-Hussein A’boushi (2010), "The Socialist Union of Popular Forces Party in Morocco", Returning to Political Parties?, The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, pp. 131–173, ISBN 9782351592618, retrieved 1 December 2011
- ^ Marvine Howe (2 June 2005). Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges. Oxford University Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-19-534698-5. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ Marvine Howe (2 June 2005). Morocco: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges: The Islamist Awakening and Other Challenges. Oxford University Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-19-534698-5. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Moroccan Political Parties". Riad Reviews. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ a b c Remy Leveau (December 1998). "A democratic transition in Morocco?". Le Monde diplomatique. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Moroccans favor conservative party instead of ushering in Islamic party", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 9 September 2007.
- ^ "Le roi nomme un nouveau gouvernement après des tractations difficiles", Agence France-Presse, 15 October 2007 (in French).
- ^ List of Socialist International parties in Africa Archived 28 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine Socialist International.
- ^ Party of European Socialists official website
- ^ "North Africa region daily news update". Aswat. 24 October 2011. Archived from the original on 17 December 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Morocco". European Forum. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Morocco elections: Islamists suffer losses as liberal parties gain ground". The Guardian. 9 September 2021. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Islamists suffer crushing defeat in Moroccan parliamentary elections". France 24. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023.