The recent communication meeting held by the Popular Movement Party in the city of Fez on Wednesday evening marked a significant turning point as they announced their candidates for various electoral constituencies in the Fez-Meknes region. Notably, this event saw the return of prominent political figures, including Hamid Chabat, the former Secretary-General of the Istiqlal Party, and his daughter, Rime Chabat. The meeting, chaired by Mohammed Ouzine, the current Secretary-General of the Popular Movement, formally welcomed Chabat and his family into the party, signaling a revival of Chabat’s political presence in Fez after a period of relative obscurity in the political scene.
Moreover, the party announced Rime Chabat’s nomination as a candidate for the northern Fez constituency, shortly after her resignation from the House of Representatives, where she had been serving as a parliamentary representative for the Party of Democratic Forces. Rime had joined this party along with family members before the 2021 elections, making her recent nomination a strategic move for the Popular Movement Party as it gears up for the upcoming electoral challenges.
The integration of Chabat and his family into the Popular Movement is indicative of the party’s strategic approach to consolidate its political influence in Fez, a city where Chabat has previously served as mayor for two terms and represented in parliament for several years. This return not only revitalizes Chabat’s political career but also enhances the familial political legacy that he brings to the party.
In a related development, the Popular Movement Party also announced the candidacy of Mohand Laanser, another historical leader within the party, for the Boulemane constituency, succeeding his son Hassan Laanser, who previously held the same position in past elections. Laanser’s return to the electoral arena is particularly noteworthy given his extensive political career, which includes parliamentary representation for Boulemane since 1993 and a range of significant government roles, including serving as Minister of the Interior. His candidacy is set against a backdrop of strong competition, with notable opponents such as Mohamed Chouki, the leader of the National Rally of Independents, and Rashid Hamouni, head of the Progress and Socialism group in the House of Representatives.
In addition to Chabat and Laanser, the Popular Movement Party unveiled a series of nominations across various districts within the Fez-Meknes region during the same meeting. These nominations include Mohammed Ouzine in the Ifrane constituency, Mohammed Bousta in the Sefrou constituency, Mohammed Zahri in the Hajeb constituency, Youssef Baba in the Moulay Yacoub constituency, Abdelkader Briki in Meknes, Aziz Kouskous in Taza, Bilal Rayan in Taounate, Khalid Mahdaoui in Tissa, and Khalid Ajali in the southern Fez constituency. These candidate selections reflect the party's strategy to enhance its presence in the Fez-Meknes region by attracting experienced political figures as they prepare for the impending legislative elections, which are anticipated to witness intense competition across multiple constituencies.
As reported by aabbir.com.
