Moroccan-origin candidates take part in Quebec’s 2026 provincial election

Friday 02 - 17:25

By: Azzat Manal

Moroccan-origin candidates take part in Quebec’s 2026 provincial election

Quebec’s provincial election on October 5, 2026, features a diverse field of candidates, including several politicians of Moroccan origin running under different political banners. Their presence reflects the growing participation of members of Quebec’s immigrant communities in provincial politics and illustrates the range of political positions represented within the Moroccan-Canadian community.

Élections Québec has confirmed 908 candidates across the province’s 127 electoral divisions for the election, compared with 880 candidates in 2022. The official figures show that candidates are running for a wide range of authorized parties, while 19 independent candidates are also on the ballot.

Among the candidates identified as being of Moroccan origin is Monsef Derraji, the Quebec Liberal Party candidate in Nelligan. Derraji is seeking another mandate after previously representing the riding in the National Assembly. The Liberal Party’s official candidate list confirms his candidacy for the October 5 election.

Nada Boumeftah is also running for the Quebec Liberal Party, in the Maurice-Richard electoral division in Montreal. Her candidacy is listed in the official Elections Québec database as part of the 2026 general election.

The Parti Québécois is represented by Adnane Najahi in Jeanne-Mance–Viger. According to the party, Najahi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UQAM and a master’s degree in public administration from ENAP. He works as a senior strategic procurement specialist and has been active in the party for several years.

Najahi has also publicly linked his political involvement in Quebec to his family’s history in Morocco’s independence movement. His campaign places his candidacy within a broader discussion about political participation, immigration and the relationship between individual identity and Quebec’s national project.

Another Moroccan-origin candidate in Jeanne-Mance–Viger is Younes Gouriny, who is running for the Green Party of Quebec. The electoral information published for the riding lists Gouriny among the candidates, alongside Najahi and candidates from several other parties. Chakib Saad is also listed in the same riding as the Conservative Party of Quebec candidate.

Fatima Aboubakr is running for the Parti Québécois in Laval-des-Rapides, according to the party’s candidate list. Her candidacy adds another Moroccan-origin name to a field spread across several parties and electoral districts.

The presence of candidates with Moroccan backgrounds across different political parties also illustrates that diaspora communities are not politically uniform. Candidates can support different approaches to economic policy, social issues, environmental questions, language, immigration and Quebec’s constitutional future, depending on their individual political affiliations and platforms.

The election campaign itself is taking place against a backdrop of issues affecting voters across the province, including the cost of living, housing, healthcare, education, the economy and questions surrounding Quebec’s political status. These subjects form part of the broader electoral debate rather than being specific to candidates from any particular community.

For Quebec’s Moroccan community, the participation of candidates in several electoral districts provides greater visibility for people whose family histories connect Quebec with Morocco. It also places questions of political representation and civic participation within the wider evolution of Quebec’s multicultural society.

The October 5 vote will ultimately determine which candidates are elected to the National Assembly. Until then, the confirmed list of candidates provides a snapshot of the range of political backgrounds and communities participating in Quebec’s 2026 provincial election.