In a dramatic turn of events just hours after the announcement of candidate nominations for the upcoming legislative elections by the National Rally of Independents (RNI), a collective resignation of eight local officials in Rabat has escalated an internal disagreement into a full-blown crisis. At the heart of this turmoil is Adil El Atrassi, the president of the Souissi district, contentious electoral decisions, a well-established family within the council’s framework, and an opposition that is now demanding resignations that extend beyond the party itself.
The resignation of these eight officials, including prominent figures such as Rabat's mayor, Fatiha El Moudni, and Adil El Atrassi, came just after the RNI unveiled its list of candidates for the upcoming elections. This decision has ignited speculation regarding the presence of underlying tensions within the party in the capital, a topic that Médias24 sought to clarify by reaching out to the officials involved and two of their colleagues who remain within the party.
Legitimacy Amidst Political Strife
One of the resigning officials, when contacted for comment, declined to elaborate on the reasons that led the group to depart from the RNI. However, they asserted that the officials still hold legitimacy to continue representing their constituents. "We do not wish to engage in political controversy, as what truly matters is to continue serving the residents who have placed their trust in us," this official stated, emphasizing that the legitimacy of the resigning members stems from their work on the ground since the start of their term.
On the other hand, those remaining within the RNI municipal group, which originally comprised 23 out of 81 councilors in Rabat, interpret the events quite differently. A municipal councilor, who is the president of a district in the capital, claims that the root cause of this crisis lies in the electoral nominations for the legislative elections. "The true breaking point with the RNI revolves around the nominations, as the president of the Souissi district, who sought to be endorsed by his party, did not receive the desired support and thus chose to resign," our source explained, adding that El Atrassi was in open conflict with the RNI's regional coordinator, Saâd Benmbarek, who preferred another candidate.
While acknowledging that difficult decisions had to be made due to the exceptionally high number of candidates for the legislative elections, Saâd Benmbarek told Médias24 that discussions are currently underway to persuade the resigning officials to reconsider their decision and rejoin the RNI. "In politics, choosing one candidate over another inevitably leads to disappointment among some. However, our party was quite surprised by this radical decision to leave our ranks," the official remarked, noting that no compromise has yet been reached, and the eight officials remain resigned as of now.
The Political Influence of the El Atrassi Family
The decision of the other seven officials to follow El Atrassi in leaving the party is believed to be tied to the political clout of the El Atrassi family within Rabat's municipal majority. Identified as the leader of the resigning group, Adil El Atrassi possesses significant electoral strength, with several family members holding strategic positions within the municipal council, thus opting to follow him. The list of resigning officials includes not only El Atrassi, the president of the Souissi district, but also Jalal El Atrassi, the vice president of the city council, Sidi Mohamed El Atrassi, the council secretary, and Chaâbia El Atrassi, the vice secretary of the council. "This presence within the communal institutions, which reflects the electoral network's significance of this family, explains the collective nature of the announced resignations," our source concluded.
This situation has also prompted reactions from the opposition group, the FGD, within the city council of Rabat. In a statement, FGD officials expressed their astonishment at the use of the municipality's grand hall to announce a decision they believe pertains exclusively to the internal affairs of a political party. They are calling on the relevant authorities to investigate the conditions under which public resources were utilized for this occasion. A member of the FGD stated that their group is consequently demanding the resignation of the concerned officials from their municipal mandates. "Given that the mayor of the capital and the president of the Souissi district were elected under the RNI banner during the elections of September 8, 2021, their departure from the party breaks the political contract that linked them to the voters who supported this formation," this official asserted. Reminding that these two leaders were affiliated with the PAM before joining the RNI, the interlocutor concluded by stating that political coherence and respect for voters' choices necessitate their withdrawal from the executive responsibilities they currently hold.
As Rabat awaits official explanations from the eight resigning officials, one certainty remains: their departure ushers in a period of uncertainty for the RNI-PAM-Istiqlal majority that governs the capital.As reported by medias24.com.
