Chaired by Ms. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers held its first meeting on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Council’s headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.

Based on Articles 11 and 161 of the Moroccan Constitution, Law No. 30.11 governing the conditions and procedures for independent and neutral election observation, as well as Law No. 76.15 reorganizing the CNDH, the Commission decided to launch the application process for accrediting both national and international observers. These observers will be tasked with carrying out independent and impartial observation of the election of members of the House of Representatives, scheduled for September 23, 2026.

During this first meeting, the Commission established the timeline for the independent and neutral observation process of the House of Representatives elections, as follows:

• Opening of the application process: April 27, 2026

• Deadline for submission of applications: May 22, 2026

• Deadline for reviewing applications: June 17, 2026

It should be noted that, in accordance with Article 2 of Law No. 30.11 mentioned above, the entities eligible to carry out independent and neutral election observation include:

• National institutions legally authorized to observe elections;

• Active civil society organizations with a proven track record in human rights, and in promoting the values of citizenship and democracy, that are legally established and operate in accordance with their statutes;

• International non-governmental organizations that are legally established under their respective national laws, recognized for their independence and objectivity, and engaged in election observation.

These entities must submit their applications to the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers by downloading the application form from the Commission’s website (observationelections.cndh.ma) or from the National Human Rights Council’s website (cndh.ma), and sending it by email to: observation2026@cndh.org.ma 

Applications may also be submitted in person to the registry office at the headquarters of the National Human Rights Council, located at “22 Avenue Riyad, Hay Riyad, Rabat,” in a sealed envelope addressed to the Chair of the Special Commission for the Accreditation of Election Observers.

The deadline for receiving applications is Friday, May 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. (Morocco time, GMT+1).

Eligibility:

For national observers:

• They must not be candidates in the election being observed;

• They must be registered on the general electoral lists;

• They must sign the charter outlining the principles and fundamental rules governing independent and neutral election observation, and the signed charter must bear the stamp of the organization they belong to.

For international observers:

• They must demonstrate experience in election observation;

• They must sign the charter outlining the principles and fundamental rules governing independent and neutral election observation, with the signed charter bearing the stamp of their organization;

• Applications from foreign NGOs must be submitted to the Commission through their legal representative via the National Human Rights Council.

The Commission also emphasizes the importance of applications that reflect geographical and cultural diversity, gender balance, as well as those submitted by associations working in the field of protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.