An extraordinary party conference in El Jadida marks the personnel transition at the top of the Moroccan ruling party. The election of Mohamed Chouki raises questions about continuity, internal party unity and strategic direction before the elections in September 2026.
Al Jadida – Yesterday, Saturday, February 7, 2026, the Moroccan ruling party Rassemblement National des Indépendants (RNI) elected a new party leader at an extraordinary national congress in El Jadida. Mohamed Chouki succeeds Aziz Akhannouch, who led the party since 2016 and brought it to the head of the governing coalition in 2021. The change in leadership comes at a politically sensitive time, just a few months before the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Clear majorities in an election without opposing candidates
Mohamed Chouki was elected unopposed. According to the news portal Le360, 1,910 votes were cast for the new leader, while 23 ballot papers were considered invalid. The vote took place as part of an extraordinary party conference that was called to formally and internally regulate Akhannouch’s successor.
In its reporting, the state news agency MAP particularly highlighted the party’s unity. At the same time, RNI members reported to Le360 that the withdrawal of the previous party leader had caused “shock and deep disappointment” within the party. In his farewell speech, Aziz Akhannouch said his move was part of a necessary renewal process. According to Akhannouch, he leaves behind “solid and effective” party structures and will concentrate on his tasks as prime minister in the future.
A party chairmanship with a limited mandate
Formally, Chouki’s term of office is closely tied to the party statutes. The extraordinary party conference does not replace the regular national congress, which only takes place after the parliamentary elections. This means that Chouki is initially chairman for a transition phase – a circumstance that significantly shapes the political classification of his role.
Within the RNI, this step is interpreted partly as strategic stabilization and partly as a cautious shift in power. Critical voices point out that central decision-making bodies such as the Politburo and the National Council as well as the existing delegate structures will remain unchanged. This supports the assessment that the influence of the outgoing party leader is or will continue to be noticeable in the background.
Mohamed Chouki: Technocratic profile and rapid political rise
With Mohamed Chouki, a leader who reflects the business-oriented and technocratic profile of the party is moving to the top of the RNI. Chouki was born in Rabat in 1977 and studied at Al-Akhawayn University. After professional positions in the financial sector in France, the USA and the United Arab Emirates, he worked in top management at the International Investment Company (EIIC). Today he heads the Ad Capital Group, which is active in the areas of asset management and agriculture.
His political rise was comparatively rapid. In 2021, Chouki was elected MP for Boulemane Province. Two years later, he took over the chairmanship of the RNI parliamentary group in the House of Representatives and has since headed the parliamentary committee on finance and economic development. He is also a member of the Politburo and regional coordinator of the RNI for Fes-Meknès.
Internal party reservations and criticism of the selection process
Despite the clear election result, Chouki’s rise is not without reservations. The TelQuel magazine analyzed his move from the Party for Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) to the RNI in 2021. This phenomenon of party switching, known as “transhumance”, is widespread in Moroccan politics, but is often criticized as a sign of limited ideological commitment.
TelQuel also reported that alternative candidacies – including that of former minister Mohammed Aujjar – had no realistic chance of success in the run-up to the party conference. Such evidence points to internal tensions that may persist despite the party’s unified demeanor.
Election year 2026: Social pressure and political expectations
The change in leadership comes at a time of increasing social and economic challenges. In this context, the Maghreb Post points to rising living costs and structural deficits in education and healthcare. New youth movements such as “Gen Z 212” are calling for greater social balance and increasing political pressure on the governing coalition.
At the same time, the state is investing considerable resources in infrastructure projects, not least with a view to the 2030 Football World Cup. This presents the RNI with the task of credibly combining economic modernization and social expectations.
Dual structure at the top: leeway and risks
With Mohamed Chouki as party leader and Aziz Akhannouch still in office as prime minister, a dual structure is emerging that presents both opportunities and risks. Chouki is considered a close confidant of Akhannouch, which gives him stability within the party, but at the same time encourages the accusation that he is merely managing continuity.
For the RNI, this constellation opens up the opportunity to emphasize social corrections and political renewal in the election campaign without fundamentally questioning the previous government record. Whether Mohamed Chouki will be able to develop an independent political profile beyond the role of interim chairman will become clear as the election year progresses.
Morocco – The end of the Akhannouch era: Who will tame the RNI’s dove?
Source:
maghreb-post.de