Driss Lachgar is yet to comment on the speculation A storm is brewing over accusations from senior members of Morocco's Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires (USFP) that the country's Minister of Interior Mohand Laenser personally intervened to guarantee Driss Lachgar's election as President of the party.
The claims made by Ali el-Yazghi and Abdelali Doumou have cast a shadow over the way the party is run. An editorial in Saturday's edition of al-Ittihad al-Ichtiraki, USFP's newspaper, said that el-Yazghi and Doumou's accusations are "not merely political, ideological or even organisational," but "prosecutable under the criminal code." Therefore, the article said, "those who make the accusations should have the courage to back them up with evidence."
USFP's Abdelkabir Tabih has attacked the allegations made by the duo. He told reporters: "Their claim that the convention was rigged and by implication the organisational structure, is a serious and unprecedented allegation. It is unacceptable that these accusations be made public, unsubstantiated by evidence."
He called on the party whips to question el-Yazghi and Doumou, adding that USFP is "not against freedom of speech" or is in "disagreement over political or ideological matters."
Morocco's Ministry of Interior has denied any involvement in the election of Lachgar, describing all allegations as "untrue" and "baseless." The ministry also denounced the two members for dragging it into internal party affairs which are governed by the party's own system and regulations.
"The claims are totally outside [the ministry's] sphere which maintains equal relationship with all parties that make up Morocco's political scene," a statement said.
Lachgar was elected as successor to Abdelwahed Radi at the party's ninth national convention held last December, when he beat Ahmed Zaïdi in the second round of the leadership contest, after prominent party leaders and founders Fathallah Oualalou and Habib el-Malki were knocked out of the race.