Rabat - Appointed Head of Government, Abdelilah Benkirane, has reportedly called Aziz Akhannouch, Secretary General of the National Rally of Independents Party (RNI), to arrange a meeting to discuss his final decision regarding whether or not to join the coalition government.
Rabat – Appointed Head of Government, Abdelilah Benkirane, has reportedly called Aziz Akhannouch, Secretary General of the National Rally of Independents Party (RNI), to arrange a meeting to discuss his final decision regarding whether or not to join the coalition government.
This follows a gathering of King Mohammed VI’s advisors Abdelatif Mennouni and Omar Kabbaj with Benkirane on Saturday at the headquarters of the government, “to press Benkirane to form a coalition government as soon as possible.”
“The meeting of Benkirane and the King’s advisors was positive and Benkirane is optimistic [about the new government formation],” declared a source close to Benkirane. The same source added that Akhannouch is currently out of the country, on a mission in Paris.
Amidst the growing controversy over the so-called “governmental blockage” and the delay in forming a coalition government, the King intervened, requesting that Benkirane hasten the formation of the government following his appointment as Head of Government on October 10th. Benkirane’s deliberations with other party leaders, however, have yet to meet with any success.
Akhannouch is still procrastinating on the announcement of his final decision, remaining uncommitted to either participating in the coalition government or taking a place in the opposition. He maintains that he will not join the coalition government until Benkirane excludes the leader of the Istiqlal Party (IP), Hamid Chabbat, In response to this ultimatum, Benkirane has rejected Akhannouch’s plea and is upholding his decision to include Chabbat and Akhannouch in the coalition government.
Edited by Constance Guindon
