As Morocco prepares for its 2026 parliamentary elections, the country is emerging as an important case study on women’s leadership in Africa. Morocco is increasingly being watched as a country attempting to redefine what gradual but intentional political modernization can look like. While many states continue to debate women’s representation as an aspiration, Morocco has spent the last two decades steadily and intentionally building the institutional foundations for women’s political participation. The 2026 elections may become the clearest indication yet of whether these reforms have translated into greater influence for women within political institutions.

At the heart of this momentum is Article 19 of Morocco’s 2011 Constitution, which formally commits the state to equality and parity between men and women. The constitutional reforms introduced amid a period of regional political change in 2011 marked a significant turning point for the country, embedding women’s political participation into Morocco’s broader governance framework. But Morocco’s journey toward greater women’s representation can be traced back even earlier. In 2002, the country introduced a gender quota system that expanded women’s access to parliament. The impact has been notable. In 1993, women occupied only two seats in parliament but by 2026, women hold 96 parliamentary seats, representing approximately 24% of the legislature. Morocco currently reserves 60 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives for women, making it one of the more progressive models of women’s political inclusion in North Africa.

The momentum extends beyond parliament. Women’s representation in prefectural and provincial councils rose from 4.5% in 2015 to 35.6% following the 2021 elections, according to official Moroccan government figures. These gains are significant because they represent a steady normalization of women’s leadership within Moroccan political life. Ahead of the 2026 elections, calls are growing for women to occupy at least The election results will therefore test whether Morocco can sustain its progress on women’s representation and demonstrate the potential of constitutional and institutional reforms to create lasting change in the rest of the region.

This marks an important milestone. For years, women’s political participation across many parts of Africa was framed primarily through representation targets and quota systems. Morocco is now moving into a different phase focused on expanding women’s influence within governance institutions, political parties, and public discourse. While challenges remain, including unequal access to party leadership positions and campaign financing, the overall trajectory is forward moving. Morocco’s political institutions and international governance partners are investing in women’s leadership as a long-term national priority and hailing Morocco as a model of gradual institutional transformation within a region often associated with political uncertainty. The country’s ongoing reforms to the Mudawana, or family code, further reinforce this image of a society in transition In late 2024, Morocco proposed more than 100 amendments to the family code aimed at strengthening women’s legal protections and expanding gender equality measures.

That is what makes Morocco so fascinating to watch in 2026. The country is attracting attention because it has built real momentum. Unlike many reform efforts that focus on short-term political gains, Morocco has spent more than two decades building the legal, constitutional, and institutional architecture needed to expand women’s participation in politics. In 2026, Morocco will be closely watched as the world considers whether these reforms can move women from representation to influence, and whether the country’s experience can offer lessons for the future of women’s political leadership across Africa.

Update: September 30, 2026:

Since this piece was published, Morocco has taken a historic step. On September 29, King Mohammed VI named Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s prime minister, making her the first woman to lead Morocco’s government and the third woman to head a government anywhere in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden and Sara Zaafarani. El Mansouri, previously mayor of Marrakesh and a national planning and housing minister, called the moment “truly historic,” noting it marks the first time in the country’s history that a woman has taken on the responsibility of leading the government.