Royal reception for new Moroccan government held in Rabat

Appointed PM Abdelilah Benkirane and Aziz Akhannouch in the frame Ministerial candidates for the new Moroccan government were contacted, Monday evening, to be informed of the time of the reception, which is to be held at the Royal Palace in Rabat for the new cabinet members.
Sources close to Akhannouch stated that the decision to resign  from the RNI party was taken a few days after his ten day trip to France,when he faced pressure from party members to resign over the movement's poor performance during the 25th November elections.
Sources told  ‘Arabstoday’ that Aziz Akhannouch’s sudden resignation from the National Rally of Independents and the parliament was a 'sure sign' of his upcoming appointment by the King in the new government, amid propagated rumors of being assigned to the Interior portfolio. The sources explained that his resignation was a legal “way out” for an opposition party leader to overcome the governmental majority and be in charge of a political ministry.
Moroccan PM Abdelilah Benkirane previously hinted, at the first press conference announcing his party’s results at the legislative elections, that there would be no problem in appointing technocrats in ministerial positions if proven competent. Aziz Akhannouch meets such criteria, as he has been praised for his role in agriculture ministry under Al Fassi's premiership.