The Fault Lines of Power

Editorial

The confirmation that ministers of the Labour Party (PTr), the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM), and their allies will attend today’s Cabinet meeting has prompted a collective sigh of relief across the political landscape. Yet, this fragile truce, hammered out in tense exchanges between Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and Deputy PM Paul Bérenger, may not be a resolution but a postponement. The year-old Alliance du Changement (ADC) government’s crisis, which nearly caused a fracture, exposed deep fault lines: a power struggle over the Prime Minister’s authority, institutional reform, and todate unmet promises.

The immediate trigger for the confrontation was a list of demands put forth by Paul Bérenger, targeting key appointments in national institutions: the Chairman of the parliamentary FCC committee, the Police Commissioner, the Commissioner of Prisons, the Chairman of Air Mauritius, and the Acting Director of the FCC. This audacious challenge — especially so coming from an ally who doesn’t command a majority in the House — demanding the removal and replacement of a cadre of senior officials, constitutes a direct challenge to the Prime Minister’s constitutional prerogative and authority. No self-respecting Prime Minister could accept such an encroachment on the powers vested solely in his office. Ramgoolam’s reported hardening of the line — that he has already made too many concessions with the earlier removal of Rama Sithanen and Kishore Beegoo — underscores the personal, zero-sum nature of this specific power play.

However, reducing the standoff to a mere tussle over appointments risks missing the fundamental, systemic issue that may well be the main reason for Bérenger’s displeasure: the “slow pace” of electoral and constitutional reform. The core of Bérenger’s political identity and the enduring relevance of the MMM lies in the promise of correcting what is perceived in some quarters as the deep democratic deficit in the Mauritian electoral system. A deficit created by the First Past The Post (FPTP) model, which fails to translate the popular will — the percentage of votes a party receives nationally — into a proportional share of seats in the National Assembly. Past election sweeps, where one alliance gains an almost total monopoly of legislative power (e.g., 60-0), demonstrate a systemic dysfunction that marginalizes thousands of votes and leaves a significant portion of the electorate of “small parties” unrepresented.

For a veteran leader like Bérenger, who is acutely aware of his political legacy and age, accelerating reform is not just a policy goal; it is an imperative for the continuing weight and relevance of the MMM in Mauritian politics. A move towards a mixed system — retaining the constituency basis for stability but incorporating a Proportional Representation (PR) element for fairer seat allocation — is the mechanism needed to guarantee the MMM’s future voice and influence, even as its constituency performance may fluctuate. The so-called tension over appointments, therefore, may be merely the visible froth on a deeper structural conflict over the redistribution of political power itself.

The internal dynamics of the MMM, detailed in today’s morning papers, further underline the fragility of the peace. Bérenger’s dramatic threat of resignation was neutralized not by the Prime Minister, but by a mass internal revolt among his own ministers and cadres who prioritized governmental stability over a solitary, opposition-bound adventure. The ministers, having apparently opened direct channels with the PTr, effectively forced their leader’s hand. Bérenger’s retreat, masked by the declaration that “Demain, on sera au Conseil des ministres. Et la vie continue,” is a clear signal that his power within the alliance is constrained not only by the Prime Minister’s constitutional authority but also by the pragmatism of his own parliamentary group.

The alliance may continue to govern, but the deep fissure of trust will define its tenure. This internal discord is particularly damaging as the ADC approaches its one-year anniversary, a time when public confidence hinges on the government’s ability to deliver on its mandate for change, transparency, and relief from the rising cost of living.

The government’s track record is mixed. While decisiveness has been shown in advancing anti-corruption legislation, the government has appeared timid, or even protective, when dealing with established economic power. The structural reform of the pension system, while arguably fiscally necessary for long-term sustainability, may have created a massive trust deficit, primarily due to poor communication and a lack of prior public consultation. The perception remains that the government chose to burden the poorer sections of the population while avoiding the politically harder path of “going where the money is,” namely, high-income segments, large corporations, and highly profitable sectors.

This perception is reinforced when one links the government’s action on the Smart City Scheme (SCS) tax rollback to other controversies like the unresolved Independent Power Producer (IPP) contracts. A pattern emerges: a willingness to revisit or roll back measures that might pinch the wealthy and powerful. This is the opposite of the change voters demanded.

Furthermore, the government’s slow pace on crucial institutional reforms — specifically the Freedom of Information Act — risks damaging its credibility. These reforms are the necessary scaffolding for a “freer society” and greater accountability. The survival of the Alliance du Changement hinges on its ability to govern cohesively and deliver. Yet, the crisis of the past days reveals an alliance burdened by a power struggle between its two leaders and a deep internal schism within the MMM. While the immediate threat of collapse has been averted, the ver est déjà dans le fruit. The core of the conflict — the irreconcilable tension between the Prime Minister’s constitutional authority, Bérenger’s push for electoral reform, and the public’s demand for genuine, systemic change — remains.

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 7 November 2025