The RNI's Political and Legal Counteroffensive
The National Rally of Independents (RNI) is not prepared to swiftly move on from the recent legislative elections in Rabat. The party, led by Aziz Akhannouch, is reeling from the loss of two parliamentary seats in the Ocean and Chellah constituencies. In response, the RNI is gearing up for a political and legal counteroffensive targeting certain elected officials and local leaders who have departed from its ranks while retaining positions they secured under the party's banner.
According to informed sources, the RNI intends to activate mechanisms outlined in Organic Law No. 113.14, which pertains to municipalities, to take administrative legal action against several local officials. This move comes amid a backdrop of internal tensions and political shifts observed during the recent electoral period. Central to this strategy is the case of Fatiha El Moudni, the mayor of Rabat, who was elected with the RNI's support but recently joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), all while continuing to lead the capital's municipal council.
Legal Grounds for Action and Internal Challenges
The party believes it has a legal basis for such actions. Article 51 of the organic law concerning municipalities stipulates that an elected member of a municipal council can be stripped of their mandate if they abandon the party under which they were elected during their term. This same article empowers the concerned council president or the political party that nominated the candidate to approach the administrative court, which is mandated to rule within the legal timelines.
Sources indicate that the RNI perceives numerous "excesses and unacceptable behaviors" that occurred alongside the recent legislative elections. Such actions might justify invoking the provisions of the organic law to restore compliance with party rules. Reports from Hespress highlight instances of "disloyalty and betrayal" observed during the elections, particularly in Rabat. Some officials have declared their withdrawal from political activities undertaken in the party's name while retaining the positions they achieved through its endorsement. For these sources, "these behaviors necessitate recourse to administrative justice to restore organizational and legal order." The party's leadership faces increasing pressure from candidates and members who feel victimized by "electoral betrayals" in various constituencies, particularly in Ocean and Chellah. The lack of a response could potentially undermine the party's credibility and weaken the trust of its grassroots supporters in decisions made by its leadership.
Beyond the legal disputes, these developments also raise questions about the internal management of nominations during the recent elections. The same sources attribute part of the challenges faced by the RNI to the appointment of "imposed" candidates who lack strong local ties and an established electoral base. This situation is believed to have led to the loss of seats that the party considered secure or, at the very least, strategic. This interpretation suggests that the imposition of certain profiles may have weakened the party's electoral framework and facilitated the advance of competing parties. Consequently, the RNI lost seats it had won during the 2021 elections, a setback that several officials now find difficult to justify.
As the next municipal elections approach, the party's leadership appears determined to learn from this episode. Consulted sources indicate that a reassessment of several local cases is being considered, and legal actions may be initiated against elected officials who have severed their party ties while maintaining responsibilities within elected institutions.
As reported by fr.hespress.com.
