Moroccan Opposition Party’s Congress to Cost $1.2 Million, Half Funded by Government

According to the PAM leader, Samir Koudar, the remaining budget will be completed by the party members through the participation of each region, at a rate of 500,000 dirhams.

Several activities are scheduled on the program for the organization of the 4th Ordinary Congress of the PAM, including the announced elections to ensure the renewal of the party’s bodies. To this end, five candidates have applied to succeed the outgoing Secretary General, Hakim Benchamach. However, a formal denial was provided by the chairman of the preparatory commission of the PAM congress regarding the ban on the candidacy of the president of the WAC and the LNFP for the post of Secretary General of the party.

In light of the party’s status, the text of which will be approved during the congress, the PAM official took care to clarify the situation by recalling that any member of the party has the right to be a candidate for the post of secretary general provided that he is a former member of the political bureau.

The five members vying to succeed outgoing Secretary General Hakim Benchamach are Abdellatif Ouahbi, Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah, Samir Belfkih, Abdeslam Boutayeb and Mekki Zizi. The PAM official, Koudar, also dismissed any change in the modernist orientation of the party as some claim by evoking the absence of a woman’s candidacy for the head of the party.

3,538 participants, representing 12 regions, as well as Moroccans abroad, are expected at this congress. An invitation has been sent to all former party leaders, including Ilyas El Omari, Aziz Benazouz, as well as dissidents.