Rabat - May 13, 2013 (MAP)
The decision made by the Istiqlal party, major ally of the Islamist PJD in the government, to quit the government and the future of the government coalition dominate the editorials published this May 13, 2013. "Aujourd’hui le Maroc" which runs an editorial titled "two years and a half gone with the wind", draws the attention to the hard economic situation (in Morocco) and notes that the Istiqlal party’s decision implies three to four months of political negotiations to reach a new government coalition. Then, when a new cabinet is set up, it will need at least six months to be fully operational, says the editorial, adding that "the rest of 2013 is lost" and even a good part of 2014 because working on the 2014 finance law is supposed to start in June. "Finally, we would have lost at least two years and a half", it concludes. For +Le Soir Echos+, the Istiqlal party’s announcement is a last attempt to weaken the first party stemming from elections. The editorialist warns the Istiqlal party’s leader that a government reshuffle, or even early elections, do not guarantee the departure of the PJD. It also notes that the Istiqlal party could experience a scission, since the party is ridden with dissensions while the PJD is poised to be reinforced by this "assault. The paper which remarks that the Istiqlal party acted as an opposition party rather than as the second pillar of the government coalition notes that the departure of this party will free the PJD of a heavy ally that is only after its own political agenda. It insists that the "PJD is no better and no worse than any other political party, but it embodies popular will and draw an undisputed legitimacy from this fact". On its part, "Al Ahdath Al Maghribia" notes that the cabinet was tainted by several contradictions as the PJD has been taking unilateral initiatives without discussing them with the other parties. What makes the situation dangerous is the fact that the country is living major economic and social challenges and economic operators are in a wait-and-see situation. "L’Economiste", considers that the government break-up was unavoidable, stressing that "the political crisis is now open", but more important public finances are disastrous.