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Benkirane: 3 parties agreed to form Moroccan government

November 30, 2016 at 9:58 pm

Former Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane in Morocco, on 25 September 2016 [Jalal Morchidi/Anadolu Agency]

Moroccan Prime Minister-designate Abdelilah Benkirane said today that three parties have agreed to form a government, while replies from other groups are awaited.

Speaking at the opposition Istiqlal party’s “Completion of the tasks of national liberation” symposium in the capital Rabat, Benkirane said that his Justice and Development party, the Progress and Socialism party and the Istiqlal party have all agreed to participate in the government , “we await responses from others”.

The National Rally of Independents and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces have yet to response to Benkirane regarding joining the coalition government.

Of the 198 seats needed

  • Justice and Development: 125
  • Istiqlal: 46
  • Progress and Socialism: 12

A majority of 198 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives must be achieves in order to form a government. The Justice and Development party holds 125 seats, while the Istiqlal party has 46 seats and the Progress and Socialism has 12, leaving the coalition 15 seats short.

The National Rally of Independents has 37 seats while the Socialist Union of Popular Forces has 20.

Benkirane’s remarks came a day after a meeting with the Secretary-General of the National Rally of Independents, Aziz Akhannouch. A source within the Justice and Development said the National Rally of Independents agreed in principle to participate in the new government.

The source said he expected the government to be formed of five parties if it is approved by the National Assembly.