Discussions on new government face ‘blockage,’ reveals Moroccan PM-designate

Morocco’s Prime Minister-designate said on Friday that the discussions to form a new government, ongoing since October, face a “real blockage,” Quds Press has reported.

“Nevertheless,” said Abdelilah Benkirane, “as long as we are taking the right path, we expect nothing but good.”

Benkirane was charged by King Mohamed VI on 10 October to form the government after his Justice and Development party (PJD) had won the largest number of votes in the parliamentarian elections. Although he has had marathon discussions with different political parties, the talks to form a coalition have been fruitless due to the reluctance by some to work with others. The Moroccan Constitution does not place a deadline for such talks to result in the formation of a government.

The PJD won a majority in parliament with 125 seats, but it still needs to forge agreements with other parties in order to form a coalition with at least 198 seats (out of a total of 395) to be able to form the government.