Morocco’s Interior Minister Bans Political Gatherings Amid Delta Variant Surge

Abdelouafi Laftit is playing the card of firmness. He has banned the organization of electoral banquets, home meetings, under tents, in weekly markets without respecting health measures, reports Assabah. The origin of this decision is the worrying spread of the Indian Delta variant in the kingdom. In total, 43 cases of contamination have recently been recorded. This decision was also made following an observation: a recent political gathering organized by the Party of Justice and Development (PJD). Saâdeddine El Othmani, its secretary general, had received the leader of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, without respecting physical distancing or the mandatory wearing of masks.

The publication of images of this visit on social networks had provoked the anger of Moroccans. Abdelouahed Zayat, president of the Moroccan Network of the Civil Alliance of Youth, has also filed a complaint against the head of government, for non-compliance with the preventive measures enacted to curb the spread of coronavirus and its variants in the kingdom. Other observations made by local authorities in several provinces: the continuation of political meetings described as "anarchic", chaired by party officials.

Based on these findings, the Minister of the Interior calls on political parties to strictly respect the health measures enacted in order to curb the spread of coronavirus and its variants in the kingdom.