Negotiating Ideology: A Critical Examination of Political Discourse in Morocco’s PJD

This study examines the linguistic construction of political ideology in the discourse of Morocco’s Justice and Development Party (PJD), drawing on the frameworks of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Grounded in the theoretical contributions of Van Dijk, Fairclough, Leeuwen, Foucault, and others, the research explores how language functions as a tool for ideological representation, manipulation, and legitimization in political contexts. The central objective is to assess how far political parties in Morocco negotiate their ideologies within discourse and to what extent they maintain consistency with their declared ideological positions. Using a corpus of excerpts from the PJD’s official and public discourse, the analysis investigates how linguistic choices serve to (re)construct conservative ideological narratives across different communicative contexts. The findings reveal significant discursive shifts and inconsistencies between the party’s internal and external messages, suggesting strategic recontextualization aimed at enhancing political legitimacy. Such discrepancies may have contributed to the party’s declining credibility and electoral support, particularly evident in the 2021 elections. Based on the findings provided, the study argues that ideological coherence within political discourse, as it is a crucial factor in maintaining social legitimacy and trust, is a considerable issue to reconsider in the Moroccan politics.