Could Morocco’s football chief Fouzi Lekjaa become its next prime minister?

Rabat, Morocco – As Morocco prepares for parliamentary elections on September 23, political debate is centred less on ideology and party programmes than on the decision of one of the country’s most influential public officials to enter partisan politics.The decision by Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco’s minister delegate for the budget and president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), to join the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has prompted intense debate across the political class and social media.Best known for his role in public finance and the transformation of Moroccan football, Lekjaa built his reputation in public administration rather than electoral politics.His move represents more than a simple party affiliation. It reflects a broader shift in Moroccan politics, where managerial competence, state-led development and national prestige are becoming increasingly important sources of political legitimacy.Mustafa Ahdar, a researcher in constitutional law and political science at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, told Al Jazeera that Lekjaa joined PAM less than three months before the elections, making the timing politically significant.“From a constitutional perspective...