Moroccan voters are expected to head to polling stations on Wednesday to select their MPs and local council members.

Earlier this year changes were made to the way parliamentary seats are allocated, making it more difficult for parties to
gain large numbers of seats and causing huge debate among MPs, parties, and citizens.

In the past, the number of parliamentary seats was distributed based on the votes obtained by each party divided by
the total number of valid ballots.

However, the new amendment stipulates that the number of seats allocated will be based on the “total number of Moroccans eligible to vote” [those subscribed to electoral lists], and not the number of valid ballots.

Thus, the denominator becomes much larger [over 15 million out of 38 million], which will diminish the number of seats that parties can obtain in any city.

The move was viewed by some as an effort to limit the clout of the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD).

Aljazeera/Agencies.