Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires expels member over nomination disputes

A political dispute has erupted within Morocco’s Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires (USFP) following allegations of financial impropriety during the selection of legislative election candidates. Meriam Jamal El Idrissi, a lawyer and member of the party’s National Council, has resigned from the party and all its structures.

El Idrissi filed a formal report alleging that party leadership used financial contributions as a criterion for selecting female candidates for regional lists in the Casablanca-Settat region. She claimed candidates were asked to record intended contributions—ranging between 1.4 and 1.6 million dirhams—on separate papers, a practice she argues violates campaign spending limits and constitutional principles regarding political equality.

In response, the USFP political bureau announced it has stripped El Idrissi of her party membership, characterizing her claims as “false allegations” that damage the credibility of the party’s institutions. The party stated that the nomination process followed internal statutes and has threatened legal action against her. El Idrissi has defended her actions as an exercise of political criticism and freedom of expression, rejecting the party's threat of prosecution.