PJD : Benkirane wants the party’s ministers out of the General Secretariat

Four months before the ordinary congress of the PJD, tension has broken off between the supports of Benkirane and those of El Othmani, the current Prime Minister. Benkirane who was dismissed by King Mohammed VI on the 5th of April 2017, suggested amending Article 37 which changes the internal rules and regulations of the party in order to permanently ban ministers from taking part of the party’s general secretariat, reports Alyaoum 24.

Benkirane’s suggestion was backed by his supporters. The proposal is intended to «reduce the influence of ministers» within the body, the same source said.

Those who are for the proposal rely on the statement of Abdelilah Benkirane during his meeting with the representatives of the PJD, on the 6th of August in Sale. In his speech, Benkirane acknowledged that allowing the ministers in the meetings of the General Secretariat was a «mistake».

It is up to the national council to decide

The proposed revision is one of the crises that the party is experiencing lately. Ministers are indeed a striking force on which Benkirane has relied in the past and during his mandate as a Prime Minister. For the record, after the 6th congress organized in July 2012, Benkirane removed the former MP Abdelaziz Aftati, whose positions were no longer abiding to the political line of the party.

Five years later, the situation has completely changed. The PJD ministers support now Saadeddine El Othmani, the current head of the government. At the end of June, they had  not hesitated in accepting MPs (Amina Maa El Ainin and Mohamed Khouyi El Khamlichi), proposed by Benkirane to join the General Secretariat.

This draft amendment and all other proposed amendments will be considered and studied by the members of the National Council of the PJD. It is in the parliament of the party, presided by Saaddeddine El Othmani, that the decision will be taken. El Othmani has already succeeded in aborting the pro-Benkirane petition in favor of holding a special session of the National Council to discuss the composition of his government.