Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party leads in provisional election results

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party won the largest number of seats in the country’s parliamentary election, according to provisional results announced by the Interior Ministry early Thursday.

Meanwhile, the governing National Assembly of Independents, known by its French acronym RNI, suffered major losses while a moderate Islamist party made a strong comeback.

Moroccans voted for a new parliament Wednesday in an election shaped by mounting frustration among young people, high unemployment despite a thriving economy and demands for better schools, hospitals and housing.

Authenticity and Modernity, or PAM, won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, Morocco's lower house. The party was followed by the Independents with 66 seats and the Istiqlal Party with 65. The Justice and Development Party, a moderate Islamist party that won just 13 seats in 2021, surged to 54.

Authenticity and Modernity and Istiqlal were members of the parliamentary majority that formed the outgoing Independents-led government.

Authenticity and Modernity was founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a childhood friend and close adviser to King Mohammed VI. The party emerged as a major political force seen as a counterweight to Justice and Development, which previously led the government for a decade.

Voter turnout was 38% — the lowest since 2007.

The vote was the first since deadly youth-led protests nearly a year ago and a mass attempt by migrants to cross Morocco’s northern border into the Spanish territory of Ceuta that left dozens dead. It will determine the next prime minister and the makeup of the government, which will serve alongside a powerful monarchy that retains broad authority over strategic affairs.

The next government will oversee billions of dollars in investment as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup, prompting some to describe it as the “World Cup government.” The new political leadership will also face pressure to address everyday concerns, including jobs, wages and the cost of living.

The Moroccan Constitution requires the king to appoint a prime minister from the party that wins the most seats in legislative elections.

Since no single party is expected to capture an absolute majority, the winner will need to build a coalition government. Portfolios are split among the political allies, but the palace traditionally keeps key posts such as defense and foreign affairs under royal control.

One possibility for prime minister is Faouzi Lakjaa, president of Morocco’s soccer federation, who recently joined the PAM party and has been buoyed by Morocco’s recent soccer achievements.

Fatima-Zahra Mansouri, 50, mayor of Marrakech and minister of urban planning, is another possibility. If selected, she would be Morocco’s first female prime minister.

A man casts his vote inside a polling station during the legislative elections in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

People cast their vote inside a polling station during the legislative elections in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

A man casts his vote inside a polling station during the legislative elections in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

A woman casts her vote inside a polling station during the legislative elections in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, Moroccan minister, politician and mayor of Marrakech, takes part in an electoral rally for Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) ahead of the upcoming legislative elections, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Manny Machado homered and drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday night to take sole possession of the top spot in the National League wild-card standings.

The loss snapped the NL West champions' 11-game home winning streak and kept the Dodgers (97-61) from clinching at least the No. 2 seed in the National League and a first-round playoff bye. To secure that, they still need one win or an Atlanta loss.

The Padres (88-70) were prevented from clinching their franchise-record third consecutive playoff berth when Arizona beat Colorado 5-3. But they need just one win or a Diamondbacks loss to punch their ticket to the postseason.

San Diego leads Chicago (87-71) and Philadelphia (87-71) by one game for the first National League wild card, a spot that would bring home-field advantage throughout a best-of-three Wild Card Series.

In his return from the injured list, Shohei Ohtani went 1 for 4 with a single, a walk and two strikeouts for Los Angeles. He went down swinging with the bases loaded to end the fourth inning. His long drive to center field was caught near the wall leading off the eighth.

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14-9) retired nine of his first 10 batters before the Padres got to him in the fourth and fifth innings of his final regular-season start.

San Diego grabbed a 2-0 lead on Machado's 409-foot homer to center that scored Dustin Harris, who was hit by a pitch from Yamamoto leading off the fourth.

The Dodgers closed to 2-1 in the bottom half when Teoscar Hernández scored on Tommy Edman's sacrifice fly on the first pitch from reliever David Morgan.

The Padres extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth on Yamamoto's second career throwing error and Machado's shallow sacrifice fly.

Freddy Fermin's RBI single in the ninth scored Samad Taylor, who walked and stole second and third on consecutive pitches by reliever Blake Treinen, making it 5-1.

Bradgley Rodriguez (4-3) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

San Diego starter Robbie Ray allowed one run and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. The left-hander needed 70 pitches to get through the first three innings.

Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 3.30 ERA) starts Thursday in the series finale against RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 3.46).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado after Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith made a late tag during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr., right, scores on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith makes a late tag during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani heads to first for a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, right, hits a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, left, and catcher Will Smith watch during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)