El Mokhtar Laghzioui has been elected as the president of Morocco’s National Press Council, known as the Conseil national de la presse (CNP), during a plenary session held on Sept. 21, 2026, in Rabat. Laghzioui, who serves as the publication director for the daily newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, secured 11 votes from the general assembly to lead the self-regulatory body for the country’s press and publishing sector.
Leadership Election Results in Rabat
The general assembly meeting took place at the CNP headquarters in Rabat, marking a formal end to the transitional phase previously managed by a provisional commission. In the contest for the presidency, Laghzioui competed against Abdellah Bakkali.
For the position of vice-president, Hanane Rihab ran as the sole candidate and was elected with 11 votes. Rihab previously placed first among professional journalists in the preceding election cycle, garnering 703 votes out of 1,681 total ballots cast by registered journalists. The voting process for the bureau saw minor friction, with three members abstaining and three others leaving the assembly hall during the ballot.
Renewing the Press Council Structure
The establishment of the new bureau follows a structured renewal of the CNP that began with professional journalist elections on Sept. 15, 2026. Official results were published the following day by the provisional commission. Out of 3,421 registered journalists, 1,681 participated in the vote, resulting in a turnout rate of 49.14%.
Alongside the journalists’ representatives, seven newspaper publishers were designated to sit on the new council. Alongside Laghzioui, the publisher representatives include Bahia Amrani, Souad Mekkaoui, El Mehdi Allabouch, Aziz Daki, Driss Chahtane, and Khalid El Hariry.
Institutional Mandate and Regulatory Scope
The National Press Council operates as the primary institutional body responsible for the self-regulation of Morocco’s print and digital media industry. Its core statutory duties include monitoring adherence to professional ethics, issuing professional press cards, and managing disciplinary matters and mediation within the sector. With its leadership now officially installed, the CNP begins its permanent institutional mandate as Moroccan media continues to evolve.
