Mehdi Bensaïd took his re-election campaign into the streets of Akkari on Monday with Fouzi Lekjaa by his side, bringing one of PAM’s newest and most visible figures into a key neighborhood of his Océan constituency.
Bensaïd, a member of PAM’s collective presidency and outgoing minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, walked through the neighborhood with Lekjaa as a large crowd gathered around the two party figures.
For Bensaïd, the extra pair of hands on the campaign trail was welcome. He acknowledged that Lekjaa’s presence was an important show of support for both his candidacy and PAM’s campaign.
“This is a neighborhood I know well, having spent time with its young people and residents,” Bensaïd told Le360.
Akkari is one of the main working-class neighborhoods in the Océan constituency, where Bensaïd is seeking to retain his seat in the September 23 legislative election.
Monday’s outing brought him back among residents as supporters chanted party slogans and the two men made their way through the neighborhood.
Lekjaa left the talking largely to the candidate. He smiled, greeted residents and at times struggled to make his way through the crowd that had gathered around them.
His presence nevertheless carried political weight for Bensaïd. Lekjaa recently joined PAM and has quickly become one of the party’s most visible figures, campaigning across the country even though he is not himself standing in the election.
His role has usually involved taking PAM’s program to rallies and meetings, with recent stops putting him before voters on questions ranging from purchasing power and pensions to water and local infrastructure.
Akkari was different. There was no long Lekjaa speech or new policy argument to carry the day. This was Bensaïd’s constituency and Bensaïd’s campaign, with Lekjaa there to help him work the crowd.
The outgoing minister appeared happy to have him. “This is a neighborhood I know well,” Bensaïd said as the campaign moved through Akkari.
