Benkirane to Meet Party Leaders to Discuss Election of President of Parliament

Morocco’s appointed Head of Government, Abdelilah Benkirane, will meet with the leaders of political parties January 13th to discuss the leadership of parliament’s first chamber.

The meeting will include the Secretary Generals of the parties that emerged from the October 7th election results to discuss who will lead the House of Representatives.

 
Benkirane, who also heads the Justice and Development Party (PJD), says in an interview with Arabic-language news source Le360, “the interest of the country dictates that we hasten this process.”

During the Ministerial Council chaired by King Mohammed VI on January 9th, the Constitutive Act of the African Union was ratified, in preparation for Morocco’s expected return to the union. This requires that both chambers begin operation and convene a Council to pass the act.

Benkirane is also revealing that he approached the newly elected Secretary General of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), Aziz Akhannouch and offered him the leadership of the House of Representatives. Aziz Akhannouch purportedly refused the offer, saying that his party “does not have a nominee” for this position.

Throughout the negotiations to form a coalition government, which began October 10th, Akhannouch presented numerous conditions to under which his party would join the government. Benkirane eventually had no choice but to abort the negotiations, leading to the government formation occurring under the current circumstances.

Source :Morocco World News