Lashgar’s suspension of Manal El Tekkal’s membership sparks outrage among socialist leaders

Open confrontation within the USFP

In a significant escalation of the organizational crisis within the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Manal El Tekkal, a member of the political bureau, responded firmly following the decision to temporarily suspend her membership. The move, prompted by her protests against the selection procedures for regional lead candidates, raises serious questions about the party’s management ahead of upcoming elections.

El Tekkal: Money has become the only standard

In a media statement, Manal El Tekkal emphasized that her objection was never against the party’s principles, but an explicit critique of the «method of implementing selection criteria». She stressed that the financial contribution, which was meant to be just one of four equivalent criteria, has in practice become the sole and fundamental requirement to secure nomination, undermining integrity and equal opportunity within the «Party of the Rose».

Challenging transparency and demanding internal bylaws

Responding to her suspension, El Tekkal demanded adherence to organizational guarantees, asserting that expressing a dissenting opinion should not justify disciplinary actions against a member of the political bureau. She issued a direct challenge to the leadership to disclose the regulatory documents and bylaws under which these decisions are made, confirming she has not received such documents since the party’s last congress.

Call to audit decision-making committee minutes

El Tekkal further called for the opening of decision-making committee minutes and evaluation grids, to verify whether the approved criteria were truly applied. She concluded by stating that if the party leadership is confident in the integrity of its procedures, there is no reason to fear transparency and scrutiny before the party’s members.

This crisis comes at a sensitive time, as other prominent female voices within the party are speaking out, placing Idris Lashgar under increasing pressure to justify the mechanisms for selecting female candidates.