Rabat – King Mohammed VI has received in the Royal Palace in Casablanca Saad Eddine Othman and appointed him new Head of Government in conformity with the constitution, and tasked him with forming the new government, a statement by the ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery announced.
Since the decision of the King to appoint another member of the Justice and Development Party, analysts eyed Saad Eddine Othmani as one of the three most likely candidates to be chosen by King Mohammed VI.
According to a communique released by the Royal cabinet on Wednesday, King Mohammed VI’s decision to appoint a new Head of Government from the Justice and Development Party was motivated, among all the other options granted to him by the letter and spirit of the constitution, by a desire to consolidate the democratic choice and to preserve the achievements made by our country in this area.
Saad Eddine Othmani served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Abdelilah Benkirane’s first government between January 2012 and October 2013.
Unlike his predecessor who was regarded by many as “hot head” and for speaking his mind without due regard to his position or to his relations with the king, the newly appointed head of government is known for his wisdom and tendency to measure his words before making any public statement. He is also known to be a man of consensus, preferring dialogue to confrontation.
Many think that Othmani, who is the party’s second influential member after Benkirane, has the best profile to break the deadlocked negotiations to form a new coalition government.
