Mohamed Joudar, secretary-general of the UC, and Abdessamad Archane, secretary-general of the MDS, were received by El Mansouri, who was tasked by King Mohammed VI with forming the next government following the September 23 legislative elections. The meetings were part of the second round of consultations with political parties.
The talks gave the parties an opportunity to present their positions on whether and under what conditions they could participate in the next government.
The meetings with the UC and MDS come as indications point to El Mansouri favoring a coalition bringing together the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) and the three parties of the Koutla, namely the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS). Such a coalition would hold 207 seats in the House of Representatives, according to Le360.
Read also : MDS and Constitutional Union adopt common position on next government
Against this backdrop, El Mansouri resumed talks with PPS Secretary-General Nabil Benabdallah on Monday morning, October 5. She also held a one-on-one meeting that day with USFP First Secretary Driss Lachgar.
The UC and MDS had agreed the previous week to adopt a joint position on whether to join the El Mansouri government or remain in opposition. The two parties have also agreed to form a unified parliamentary group in the new House of Representatives, with the UC holding 17 seats and the MDS eight.
