Morocco's Independence Party waives reshuffle demands

Independence Party Secretary-General Hamid Chabat has settled his differences with the PM Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane has reached an agreement with coalition ally and Independence Party Secretary-General Hamid Chabat to postpone the cabinet reshuffle. Sources told Arabstoday that contrary to reports, Chabat did not call for a reshuffle to oust Benkirane and force the appointment of a new prime minister, instead insisting on precedent set by previous regimes who have traditionally carried out reshuffles upon completion of the first half of the government mandate.
However, some government sources suggested that Chabat had put pressure on Benkirane in a bid to increase the number of Independence Party ministers in the current cabinet.
Benkirane's Justice and Development Party (PJD) is the leading movement in Morocco's coalition government, which also includes Independence Party, Popular Movement and Party of Progress and Socialism.