Istiqlal Party in temporary truce as key elections loom

Istiqlal Party in temporary truce as key elections loom
Saturday 27 April 2024 - 19:54

After a tumultuous night filled with heated debates and clear disagreements regarding the leadership of the 18th National Congress of the Istiqlal Party (PI), peace settled over the congress on Saturday.

However, this fragile calm is expected to be short-lived as work resumes later today, marking the beginning of elections for the general secretary and executive committee members.

The congress members approved the various committee reports, including one concerning the party’s general secretary’s proposal for a list of 30 potential executive committee members. The National Council will vote on this List.

According to sources at Hespress, the coming hours will be marked by fierce competition for seats on the party’s executive committee. Discussions will likely focus on strategies to prevent specific candidates from leveraging individual candidacies to gain leadership positions.

The same sources report that all previous executive committee members, except former Minister of Industry and Transport Karim Ghellab and Chiba Maelainine, have submitted applications to retain their positions.

The preparatory committee reportedly received over 110 applications for executive committee positions. From this pool, Nizar Baraka, the consensus general secretary, must choose 30 names. This task places him in a difficult situation, requiring him to balance various interests and maintain the consensus necessary for a peaceful and successful congress.

Furthermore, well-known figures, including former ministers and party executives, are reportedly vying for positions on the committee. These include former Minister of Foreign Trade Abdellatif Maâzouz, executive Abdelkader El Kihel, and Adil Benhamza, the former spokesperson under previous Secretary General Abdelhamid Chabat.

Prominent women are also expected to compete for spots on the executive committee.

Potential candidates include Rafia El Mansouri, who filed a complaint against Nourredine Mediane regarding the infamous audio recording, former Minister of Health Yasmina Baddou, Khadija Zoumi, and Zineb Qayouh.

Each woman represents a distinct faction within the party, and their inclusion in the list will likely be the subject of intense negotiations.

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