| Socialist Union of Popular Forces | |
| Native Name: | الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵏⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵏⵉⵖⴰⵍⵍⵏ ⵉⴳⴷⵓⴷⴰⵏⵏ |
| Leader1 Title: | First Secretary |
| Leader1 Name: | Driss Lachgar |
| Foundation: | [1] |
| Split: | National Union of Popular Forces |
| Headquarters: | Rabat, Morocco |
| Newspaper: | Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki (Arabic) Libération (French) |
| Position: | Centre-left |
| International: | Socialist International Progressive Alliance |
| European: | Party of European Socialists (observer) |
| Seats1 Title: | House of Representatives |
| Seats2 Title: | House of Councillors |
| Seats3 Title: | Pan-African Parliament |
| Seats3: | (Morocco seats) |
| Colours: | Purple, White |
| Native Name Lang: | ar |
| Country: | Morocco |
The Socialist Union of Popular Forces (Arabic: الاتحاد الاشتراكي للقوات الشعبية|translit=Al-Ittihad Al-Ishtirakiy Lilqawat Al-Sha'abiyah; ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵏⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵍⴰⵢⵜ ⵏⵉⵖⴰⵍⵍⵏ ⵉⴳⴷⵓⴷⴰⵏⵏ; French: Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires, USFP) is a social-democratic political party in Morocco.
The USFP was formed as a breakaway from the National Union of Popular Forces (UNFP), a socialist opposition party which had itself split from the Istiqlal Party in 1959.[2] The USFP was established in 1975.[3] [4]
The party won the 1997 parliamentary election, and led the government of Morocco with a centre-left coalition.[5] During this period, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who led the USFP, served as the Prime Minister of Morocco.[5]
In the parliamentary election held on 27 September 2002, the party won 50 out of 325 seats, making it the largest party in the Moroccan parliament. Following those elections, it formed a government with the Istiqlal Party in a three-party coalition known as the "Koutla".
In the next parliamentary election, held on 7 September 2007, the USFP won 38 out of 325 seats, losing 12 seats and becoming only the fifth largest party in parliament.[6] The USFP was included in the government of Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, formed on 15 October 2007.[7]
The USFP is a full member of the Socialist International[8] and an observer of the Party of European Socialists.[9]
In the run-up to the November 2011 parliamentary elections, the USFP sought to present a united front with the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) and Democratic Forces Front (FFD) to reverse the loss of support for the Moroccan left in the preceding years.[10] The party placed fifth, with 39 seats, in the 2011 elections.[11]
The USFP won 34 seats in the 2021 parliamentary election, an increase of 14 seats since the last election.[12] [13]