Africa-Press – Mauritius. Former Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius Paul Bérenger announced the launch of a new political party named “The Struggling Progressive Front” (FMP) during a founding conference held in front of his supporters. This move marks his official return to the political arena after months of leaving the government and resigning from the Mauritius Democratic Movement (MMM).
The launch of the new party comes about two months after his exit from the government and just one month after his resignation from the MMM, a party he co-founded in 1969 and led for over half a century.
At 81 years old, Bérenger aims to build what he describes as a “reliable and different political alternative” in preparation for the upcoming general elections scheduled for 2029.
During the conference held at the Vacoas/Phoenix Municipal Hall, attended by around a thousand supporters, the opposition leader sharply criticized the ruling Labour Party, urging his supporters to back him in presenting a “strong and serious alternative” to governance.
Bérenger stated in his speech: “Help us to provide a strong and serious alternative. If we do our job well over the coming years, we will be able to oust them both together,” referring to the Labour Party and the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM). He added that the Labour Party’s continuation of its current approach would lead to the same fate that befell the MSM.
The veteran political leader emphasized that his new project focuses on combating corruption and discrimination, promoting meritocracy and social justice, as well as protecting the environment, while also affirming that he feels no regret about his recent participation in the government.
He remarked: “If the MSM returned to power, the country would have been completely destroyed. Our priority was to remove the party from power; today, our priority is to prevent the MSM’s return and to confront the Labour Party led by Navin Ramgoolam.”
Bérenger confirmed that his new party seeks to transcend traditional political divisions and work towards uniting various segments of society around a new political project.
At the end of the conference, the formation of a temporary executive committee for the party was announced, with plans to elect the official leadership of the Struggling Progressive Front within the next three months.
