Throughout its mandate, the 2011-2016 Moroccan government underwent open scrutiny, criticism and even defamation unprecedented in recent history. The general public closely followed developments, particularly on social media, commenting on governmental accomplishments and pitfalls, sometimes being as inefficient as opposition groups.

Perhaps this resulted from the great expectations young people had after decades of corrupt and stagnant policies. Still, the four coalition parties managed to overcome numerous economic and political hurdles together. However, disagreements loomed large at end of the government's term, culminating in the parties' inability to display a cohesive achievement record.

The 2015 local and regional election polls showed internal tensions in the Cabinet. The Justice and Development Party (PJD) secured the presidencies of most key cities, a serious step forward in the kingdom’s democratization process. The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), perceived as being backed by the monarchy, tried to revive the Coalition for Democracy, or G8, a 2011 grouping of eight parties that were anti-PJD. While the PAM had trouble reanimating the G8, two key parties — the Popular Movement (PM) and the National Rally of Independents (RNI) — joined the government. The PAM urged representatives of the two parties to challenge a government bill for coordination in municipalities and regional councils. Economic and political ties pushed the RNI and PM councilors to sometimes vote against their own party members and instead go the PAM's way. This clash of interests was aggravated when the RNI secretary-general accused Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane of coercion. Also, Finance Minister Mohammed Bousaid of the RNI mocked Benkirane in a dispute over a rural development fund. Thus, the PAM’s endeavor to push the government to implode deepened divides, especially at the end of the government's term.

For many observers and the public, the Oct. 7 parliamentary election provides a way to further distance the country from despotic ills, where the next reforms must examine the government’s record. The government, notwithstanding its efforts to reduce social inequality and foster the rule of law, has been unable to highlight progress; this has been a setback. During the Arab Spring, government parties refrained from supporting the ouster of the regime, preferring stability-based reform and promising to rectify public policies. But while there was no better way to extol accomplishments than to display them together, the parties' inability to do so indicates a rift between supporters of democracy and despotism.