Other parties led by Union socialiste des forces populaires (USFP) premier secretary Driss Lachgar backed by Nizar Baraka's centre-right Parti de l'Istiqlal (PI) and the Parti du Progrès et du Socialisme (PPS) had asked Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit to add some 15 seats which was also ruled out...
Three years into the job at the traditional nationalist Parti de l'Istiqlal (PI – Independence Party) former finance minister Nizar Baraka is positioning himself as a more cerebral potential leader of the future coalition's 'loyalist' parties; also looking for a bigger role is the Union socialiste des forces populaires (USFP)'s Driss Lachgar...
That's only marginally more than 5% of the popular vote despite a more innovative programme copyrighted by its leader Driss Lachgar before the elections...
Benkirane has called on parties to start consultations on any revisions needed to the electoral laws a process that could produce more angry scenes in Parliament as national opposition leaders led by Istiqlal's pugnacious Hamid Chabat and Driss Lachgar of the Union socialiste des forces populaires seek to undermine their rivals in government (AC Vol 55 No 2 Headaches for Benkirane)...
The new USFP leader Driss Lachgar is working to unite rival barons and integrate smaller leftist parties to revive the left's electoral fortunes...