Abdelaziz Aftati, a former MP from the Justice and Development Party (PJD), continues to be a persistent challenge for Abdelilah Benkirane. The Secretary-General of the PJD swiftly distanced himself from his «brother's» decision to sign a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, advocating for constitutional reforms. In a statement released this Wednesday, Benkirane emphasized that Aftati «did not consult the party bodies and therefore bears sole responsibility» for his involvement in this initiative directed at the monarch. «On this occasion, I call on all party members and leaders not to sign or participate in such initiatives and urge them to respect the positions and directives established by the party's competent bodies». Abdelilah Benkirane The relationship between Aftati and Benkirane has long been fraught with tension. Back in June 2015, while leading both the party and the government, Benkirane suspended Aftati after a controversial visit to the Algerian border, described by the PJD leadership as a «military-only zone» and «off-limits to civilians», as explained at the time. Following this incident, Aftati was stripped of his roles within the party, both nationally and regionally. It wasn't until Benkirane's exit in 2017 that Aftati was reinstated to the party's National Council.
