HIBAPRESS – Rabat
A few weeks after practically presenting himself as the official spokesperson for the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), Nizar Baraka, the Secretary-General of the Independence Party, found himself facing embarrassing questions regarding his party's choices in the new government formation, following the dismissal of Madiha Kheir from her ministerial duties by royal decree, based on a request from the head of government.
Baraka had raised both surprise and controversy during a speech he delivered to members of the National Council of the Independence Party, when he revealed, exclusively, that the PAM refused an alliance with the National Rally of Independents (RNI). This statement placed him in the position of speaking on behalf of another political party, before an official announcement of its stance was made, a precedent that raised questions about the limits of political discourse and party responsibility.
The irony is that Baraka, who took the initiative to convey the position of a rival party to his party's activists, did not hesitate to suggest names surrounded by rumors for ministerial appointments within the Independence Party's share in the new government, including Madiha Kheir, who was appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Education, Primary Education, Professional Training and Vocational Qualification, responsible for Professional Training and Qualification, before her governmental career ended with her dismissal.
The dismissal decision brought to the forefront the responsibility of political parties in scrutinizing their choices for ministerial portfolios and verifying the professional and legal backgrounds of the names they propose for public office, especially since ministerial appointment is not merely a personal career path, but a political and moral responsibility that requires a high degree of diligence and clarity.
In this case, the question of political responsibility within the Independence Party arises, amid calls for the Secretary-General of "Al-Mezan" to issue official clarifications regarding the criteria adopted in selecting candidates for ministerial positions, or to resign definitively from leading one of the largest parties in Morocco.
