RABAT // King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Friday appointed a new prime minister to end a political deadlock that left the country without a government for five months.
The king named Saadeddine El Othmani, a former foreign minister who belongs to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), to replace Abdelilah Benkirane, who had failed to form a government after the party won the most seats in last October’s elections.
On Thursday, the royal palace announced the king had dismissed Mr Benkirane.
The prime minister-designate is a trained psychiatrist who served as secretary general of the PJD from 2004 to 2008 and as foreign minister from January 2012 to October 2013.
The PJD came to power after the king relinquished some of his near-absolute control following protests inspired by the Arab Spring in 2011.
Mr Benkirane led a previous coalition government for five years. This time he could not overcome opposition from Aziz Akhannouch, leader of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and a billionaire former agriculture minister who is close to the king. The resulting power struggle led to a political impasse.
Mr Benkrane said he would now step down from the party leadership. “All I can say is that of course I accept this decision, which falls in line with the constitution. One cannot say no to His Majesty,” he said.
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* Agence France-Presse
