When Benkirane speaks, the state is always in danger, and he is the only savior.
In a new appearance that stirred controversy within political circles, Abdelilah Benkirane, the Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party and former Prime Minister, returned to his typical approach of leveraging political and social events to reposition himself as a key player in the scene, presenting himself as the “savior” who intervenes to protect the state.
During his participation in a conference organized by the engineers’ association of the Justice and Development Party, Benkirane spoke about what is referred to as Generation “Z” and the protests led by them, warning the youth against any reckless movements and revealing that he personally intervened to advise them not to protest during the king’s opening of the legislative year.
Benkirane stated that “these young people responded partially to his call,” considering this a sign of their “awareness and respect for the royal institution.” However, these remarks raised widespread questions about the way he consistently presents himself as a mediator between the street and the regime, as if political stability in the country hinges on his personal interventions.
Observers noted that Benkirane, who built his career on populist rhetoric, is once again trying to exploit the current social situation to regain his political presence after a decline in his party’s influence. They point out that he has a habit of “riding the wave,” whether related to the wave of the “Arab Spring” that brought him to the position of Prime Minister in 2011, or the wave of defending “stability” following a decrease in his popularity.
Followers believe that Benkirane’s return to the forefront of public debate in this manner confirms that he has not yet departed from the logic of populist discourse, and that he continues to employ the same tactic that characterized his political career: seizing the moment to reposition himself and presenting himself as an indispensable balancing element.
