The Moroccan Islamist “Party of Justice and Development” (PJD) became the dominant party in the governing coalition following the adoption of a new constitution and the elections of 2011. King Muhammad VI appointed the PJD’s leader, Abdellah Benkirane, to be the Prime Minister, a post he has held since 2011. Although the current PJD was launched officially in 1998, it has effectively existed under other names since 1969, including Ach-Chabiba al-Islâmiyya, Al-Jamâ'a al-Islâmiyya and Al-Islah wa Tajdid. When it came to power in 2011, it was sharply debated whether the PJD would attempt to adhere to the Islamist doctrines it had developed and professed during the previous 40 years when it was out of power, or whether it would “normalize” itself by “adapting” to Realpolitik and by “modifying” its positions in order to more pragmatically govern. The PJD has, indeed, changed many positions that it long held after it came to power. This paper suggests, however, that the changes made by the PJD do not reflect the process of “normalizing” itself in order to more effectively govern, but rather one of compromising its long-held positions in order to be able to hold on to political power. The changes thus reflect not an attempt to better govern in the complicated world of politics, but of abandoning long-stated principles in order to be able to obtain the benefits that come from holding onto power.