Morocco king congratulates ex-PM on PJD leadership appointment

Moroccan King Mohammed VI yesterday congratulated former Prime Minister, Abdelilah Benkirane, on his recent election as the secretary-general of the Justice and Development Party (PJD).

In an official message, the king congratulated Benkirane for what he described as the “confidence placed in him by the Extraordinary National Congress of the party,” adding that it was demonstrating the party’s “appreciation and respect of you, given your distinguished partisan career, human qualities, recognised political competences, as well as your usual spirit of responsibility and attachment to the sacredness of the nation.”

“We ask God Almighty to grant you success in your leadership responsibility, in order to strengthen the party’s position within the national political scene, to continue its constructive contribution, alongside serious national parties, in the new phase that our country is launching, with its crucial developmental and external challenges,” the message read.

The Moroccan king called on Benkirane “to convey my marks of esteem to your predecessor Saad Dine El-Othmani and to all PJD members.”

Benkirane was elected on Saturday by the extraordinary congress after Al-Othmani resigned following the party’s abysmal election results in September. The party won only 13 seats compared to 125 seats in the 2016 election. It had led the government since 2011.

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