Moroccan government has failed

Secretary-General of Morocco's Istiqlal Party, Hamid Chabat has told Arab Today that Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's government continues to live off the major policy workshops created by former Istiqlal chief Abbas El Fassi's in the previous government. "The government has not launched any new workshops in the past year," Chabat said, adding that he has been monitoring the progress made by Benkirane's coalition government from the moment he was elected Istiqlal Party leader in September. Last month, Chabat submitted a 30-page memorandum to the royal cabinet announcing the party's decision to withdraw from the coalition government, a consensus reached within the party’s national council. The Moroccan politician told Arab Today that the decision was not taken lightly. "We had threatened to withdraw from the coalition if Benkirane didn't change his policies. The memorandum didn't just list the negatives, but also commented on the little positives, and added suggestions for the long-term success of the coalition." Chabat said that his conservative party's manifesto is clear - to put the interests of Morocco and its citizens first. He also lamented the slow pace of change in government, including the lack of social dialogue, and a break away from the traditional trade unions, as key reasons behind his party's withdrawal from the coalition. The Istiqlal Party leader also took a swipe at the Moroccan media, accusing them of selective reporting in relation to the memorandum. "The media picked up on six lines in the document about our demands for a government reshuffle, whilst neglecting other points about inflation and energy prices," he said. Chabat underlined his party’s longstanding commitment to Moroccan national sovereignty. He vindicated the previous Istiqlal government, claiming that El Fassi had done what he could,” especially given the royal stranglehold on government that preceded King Mohammed VI’s 2011 constitutional reforms. The Istiqlal Party emerged in the 1940’s as the major political force in the struggle for independence from French colonialism.