Islamist party leader receives royal summons

The head of Morocco's Islamist party was summoned on Tuesday by King Mohammed VI for talks on forming a new government following its victory in weekend elections, the party announced.

Abdelilah Benkirane, head of the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), was to meet the king later on Tuesday after receiving a royal summons to the central town of Midelt, party official Mustapha Khelfi told AFP.

“Mr Benkirane left this morning for Midelt and he will be received by the king. I don't know if he will be named prime minister during the course of this meeting,” said Khelfi.

The PJD won 107 of the 395 seats in parliament in Friday's election, becoming the biggest party.

Under a new constitution adopted in July amid popular uprisings in other Arab states, the king must now choose a prime minister from the winning party instead of naming whoever he pleases, as in the past. - AFP