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Rabat – Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani resigned as secretary-general of the Justice and Development Party (PJD).
The PJD issued a press release to announce the news, stating the party’s National Council will organize an extraordinary session on September 18.
The session aims to “comprehensively assess the electoral benefits and take appropriate decisions.”
The party also “expressed pride” for its “efforts” to serve the country and citizens, expressing gratitude to all the people who voted for them during the 2021 elections.
The PJD, however, deems the turnout of the general elections announced on Wednesday as “incomprehensive and illogical.”
The results, according to the PJD, do not “reflect the reality of the political map, nor the party’s position in the political scene and its outcome in managing local and governmental public affairs.”
The statement followed the defeat of PJD during the 2021 general elections. On Wednesday, PJD won only 12 seats as opposed to the 125 seats they secured during the 2016 elections.
The National Rally of Independents (RNI) topped the list with 97 seats. Second was the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) with 82 seats, followed by the Al Istiqlal Party with 78 seats.
Several PJD members expressed shock and disbelief at the turnout, citing “violations” in the elections.
Former leader of the PJD and head of government Abdelila Benkirane wrote a short note, calling on El Othamni to resign from his position as PJD Secretary-General.
“As a member of the National Council of the Justice and Development Party, and as a former general secretary of the same party, and after noting the painful defeat suffered in the elections … I consider it imperative in these difficult circumstances that the Secretary-General [El Othmani] assumes his responsibility and resigns from the leadership of the party,” Benkirane wrote.
