Rabat – Mustapha Ramid, the out-going Minister of Justice and one the most prominent figures in Justice and Development Party (PJD), won’t be assuming the same portfolio in Saad Eddine Othmani’s upcoming government.
As it was reported in Moroccan press it was Driss Lachgar, the leader of Socialist Union for Popular Forces (USFP), who first broke the news during a meeting of his party last Saturday.
It is also said that Lachgar was pleased at hearing the news. Apparently there was a veto against appointing Ramid as a Minister of Justice for a second mandate. Instead, it was suggested he becomes a State Minister in charge of human rights.
According to these reports, the Justice portfolio will be assumed by a member of the Rally of National Independents Party (RNI).
Casting aside Mustapha Ramid is likely to cause more stir in the PJD, whose members seem to be divided on the choices its leadership has taken since Othmani’s designation as new head of government, replacing the party leader Abdelilah Benkirane.
Ramid is seen as one of PJD’s hawks. Not appointing him as a Minister of Justice deals another strong blow to the party who bowed to the pressures during the negotiations to form a coalition by accepting to include USFP in the next government, something Benkirane kept refusing during the last few months.
Losing the Ministry of Justice also means PJD will be left without strategic ministries, unlike its ally RNI. The latter is reportedly going to keep the same departments in the previous government such as the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture.
