Land Dispute Leads to Political Freeze-Out in Moroccan Party
A real estate deal gone wrong has shaken Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), leading to the suspension of a prominent leader. The controversy highlights the challenges faced by political parties in navigating internal conflicts and maintaining public trust.
Salahdine Abou El Ghali, a key figure in PAM’s leadership, has been suspended following a bitter dispute with fellow party member Abdel Rahim Ben Addou. The conflict, stemming from a broken land sale agreement, escalated to the point of involving the party’s highest decision-making bodies.
According to sources, Ben Addou, who also serves as a Member of Parliament, accused Abou El Ghali of reneging on a promise to sell him a plot of land. Abou El Ghali allegedly accepted a higher offer from another buyer after initially agreeing to sell the land to Ben Addou for 50 million dirhams (approximately USD 5 million).
The heart of the issue lies in a 12 million dirham (USD 1.2 million) deposit that Ben Addou paid to Abou El Ghali. Despite the broken agreement, Abou El Ghali refused to return the deposit, prompting Ben Addou to seek intervention from the party leadership.
While Abou El Ghali insisted that the dispute was a personal matter and should be resolved outside the party’s purview, his refusal to return the deposit raised concerns about ethical conduct.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, senior PAM members Fatima Zahra Mansouri and Mehdi Bensaid met with Abou El Ghali, urging him to voluntarily and temporarily step down from his leadership position. They argued that this would allow him to address the issue without further tarnishing the party’s image.
However, Abou El Ghali remained defiant, refusing to step down or publicly acknowledge any wrongdoing. This ultimately led to the party’s political bureau voting to suspend his membership and refer the case to the ethics committee.
This incident shines a light on the complex interplay between personal conduct, financial dealings, and political life. It also underscores the growing demand for transparency and accountability within political parties, particularly in the context of Morocco’s evolving political landscape.
The PAM, often viewed as a counterweight to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), has been striving to position itself as a modern and reformist force in Moroccan politics. This recent scandal could potentially damage the party’s reputation and erode public trust.
The outcome of the ethics committee’s investigation and the subsequent actions taken by the PAM leadership will be crucial in determining the long-term impact of this controversy. It remains to be seen whether the party can effectively address these internal divisions and regain public confidence.
