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| Africa North |
| Socialists Decline Chance to Form Part of Morocco's Coalition |
| 2011-12-06 |
| [Tripoli Post] The Socialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP, Morocco's main leftwing party that came third in the November 25 legislative election, has decided not to take part in a government coalition led by the country's moderate Islamists. It had been asked by new prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane to join his government. The party, led by Mehdi Ben Barka made the decsion after talks to join a broad government coalition, with Driss Lachgar, a member of the party's political bureau, telling AFP, "The USFP is now part of the opposition, following a decision made Sunday by its national council." Lachgar said that, "by joining the opposition, our political party will contribute to developing the country's democracy." Abdelilah Benkirane, who was appointed prime minister by King Mohammed VI after his Justice and Development Party, PJD, had secured the most votes in last month's poll. It became the latest religious party to make electoral gains in the region on the back of the Arab Spring pro-democracy revolts, still has plenty of options to form a parliamentary majority. As Tunisia and Egypt ousted their longtime dictators through popular uprisings earlier this year, Morocco's king nipped swelling protests in the bud by offering a constitutional reform that curbed his near absolute powers. |
| Posted by:Fred |