Morocco’s Audit Court revealed in its yearly report (2022-2023), issued on Tuesday, that only 20 political parties and one trade union have returned unused public funding. Government had allocated over 37 million dirhams to the said bodies as a form of financial support.
As per its auditing, the Court decided that the amount to be recovered should be a little above 28 million dirhams. 17 political parties and two unions are concerned by this financial decision as the public money would go to the Treasury.
The government allocates sums of money to political parties, trade unions and similar bodies to help with management expenses and election campaigns. The Audit Court recommends that money be returned if it was unused, remained a funding surplus or if spending was unjustified.
Concerning additional annual support allotted to political parties to pay for missions, studies and research for the year 2022, a public funding of 20 million dirhams was granted to seven political formations. The Court noted several shortcomings in abiding by rules and regulations governing public money recovery.
The court also recommended that periodic trainings should be conducted for the parties’ staff working in accounting, and financial and administrative management.
Pursuant to the Constitution, the Audit Court had published on March 16, 2023, several reports examining expenditure incurred by parties and unions alike during the 2021 parliamentary elections.