Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming Moroccan elections, the new government will struggle to fully address popular grievances due to mounting fiscal pressures and competing spending priorities, risking popular protests and fueling emigration; meanwhile, foreign policy continuity will result in increased defense spending, efforts to expand regional influence and potentially worse frictions with parts of Europe. On Sept. 23, Morocco will hold general elections to directly elect 395 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower and much more powerful chamber of the bicameral parliament, for a five-year term. While Morocco's multi-party political system makes it virtually impossible for any single party to secure an outright majority, King Mohammed VI will appoint a member of the party that secures the most seats (typically the party's leader) to become the prime minister.