Morocco’s Politics by Proxy: The Rise of Managerial Candidacy

Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco’s minister delegate for the budget and president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), has joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM). This move is not an isolated event but rather part of a broader trend in Morocco’s politics: the rise of managerial candidacy.

Lekjaa’s background as a skilled administrator who navigated complex public finance issues and transformed Moroccan football into a national pride is well-documented. His decision to enter partisan politics reflects a global shift towards performance politics, where voters increasingly expect politicians to deliver tangible results and demonstrate managerial competence.

Some see Lekjaa as a breath of fresh air who can bring his expertise to the table, while others view it as a cynical attempt by PAM to co-opt a popular figure and distract from its governance record. This trend raises fundamental questions about the role of political parties in modern democracies. Are they incubators for new leaders or mere vessels for influential personalities?

Mustafa Ahdar, a researcher at Ibn Zohr University, warns that when parties recruit outsiders with built-in popularity, they risk abandoning their mission of creating spaces for citizen engagement and leadership development. This concern is reflected in Morocco’s changing voter behavior, where turnout exceeded 50 percent in the 2021 parliamentary elections, but nearly half of eligible voters still abstained.

The Moroccan case also highlights the country’s proportional electoral system and coalition governments, which can create a complex web of alliances and negotiations that often overshadow party programs and achievements. The 2011 Constitution expanded parliament’s powers while maintaining the monarchy’s central role in government formation.

Speculation over Lekjaa’s future political role has intensified, despite no official indication that he is being considered for head of government. Some observers draw parallels with Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who entered partisan politics after establishing himself outside traditional party structures. However, this raises questions about internal party democracy and whether such moves reflect genuine conviction or pragmatic calculation.

PAM’s recruitment of Lekjaa also highlights the challenges faced by modernising parties in maintaining a clean image. Founded on a platform of institutional reform, regional development, and economic modernisation, PAM has struggled with corruption and abuse-of-office controversies involving some of its elected officials.

Morocco’s politics by proxy raises fundamental questions about legitimacy and expectations. Can administrative competence be translated into effective governance? Or does it merely create unrealistic expectations that no politician can meet? As the country prepares for parliamentary elections on September 23, one thing is clear: Lekjaa’s rise is only the tip of the iceberg in a broader shift towards performance politics, where voters increasingly prioritize managerial competence over ideological promises or traditional party affiliations.