Oussama Barik enters Morocco’s Parliament after surprise Midelt election win

Saturday 26 September 2026 - 20:30

A political career that began largely behind a smartphone camera has now moved into Morocco’s House of Representatives. Oussama Barik, the public name of Abdelaziz Barik, emerged as one of the notable new figures of the September 23 legislative elections after securing a parliamentary seat in the Midelt constituency for the Party of Unity and Democracy (PUD).

Barik’s result gives the PUD its only seat in the new House, according to the provisional national results announced after the election.

From Imilchil to the campaign trail

Born in Imilchil in 1998, Barik built his public profile outside the traditional structures of Moroccan politics. His visibility grew through Facebook videos in which he discussed everyday problems affecting residents of Midelt province, particularly communities in mountainous and rural areas.

His online interventions frequently focused on roads, isolation, infrastructure and access to basic public services. That focus helped establish him as a recognizable local voice before he entered electoral politics.

Reports about his background also highlight the personal connection between his experience and the issues he discusses. During his childhood, he reportedly walked long distances to attend school, an experience that later became part of the wider context of his interest in rural and mountain communities.

Barik later studied geography at university, while continuing to use social media to comment on local development and public affairs.

A digital following becomes an electoral campaign

The 2026 election marked Barik’s transition from online commentary to direct political participation. Running under the PUD banner in Midelt, he combined his established digital presence with meetings in villages, markets and other parts of the province.

His campaign continued to emphasize issues that had already featured prominently in his online activity, including infrastructure, territorial isolation and access to public services.

The move also placed him in competition with candidates representing parties with longer-established political structures in the constituency. Among them was Marouane Chabâatou, who ran for the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) after previously serving under the National Rally of Independents (RNI).

Midelt results put Barik at the top

Preliminary results from the Midelt constituency placed Barik ahead of his main competitors. After around 80% of ballots had been counted, reports put him at 21.19% of the vote, followed by Rachid Alaoui Taibi of the Popular Movement at 11.93% and Marouane Chabâatou of PAM at 8.94%.

Other reports subsequently cited a tally of 32,684 votes for Barik.

The final distribution of seats in the constituency placed Barik among the three successful candidates from Midelt, alongside Rachid Taibi Alaoui and Marouane Chabâatou, according to reports published after the vote.

At the national level, the PUD secured one seat in the 395-member House of Representatives, making Barik the party’s sole parliamentary representative following the 2026 election.

A new role after years of local advocacy

The transition to Parliament changes the nature of Barik’s public role. His previous activity largely consisted of highlighting local concerns and addressing public officials through social media. As a member of the House of Representatives, he will now operate within the formal legislative and parliamentary system.

In a video published after the election, Barik thanked voters and supporters and referred to the campaign as an effort conducted with limited resources. He also said he intended to defend the interests of the population he will represent.

The reaction on social media has focused heavily on the expectations surrounding his new mandate. Supporters have pointed to the same subjects that defined his digital presence before the election, including roads, infrastructure, public services and the situation of young people in rural communities.

A parliamentary test for a digital political profile

Barik’s election also illustrates the growing role that social media can play in political communication. His trajectory differs from the conventional path of candidates who build their careers through party structures, local elected office or established political networks.

His case does not, by itself, establish a broader shift in Moroccan electoral politics. It does, however, provide a concrete example of how sustained digital visibility around local issues can become part of an electoral campaign and ultimately lead to representation in Parliament.

The next stage will take place away from Facebook and inside the institutions of the state. For Barik, the challenge will be to translate the issues he repeatedly raised online into parliamentary work, while maintaining a direct connection with the communities whose concerns helped shape his public profile.