The 2 Government Leaders Remain Static After Inconclusive Discussion

The precarious governing alliance has been plunged into fresh turmoil after a high-stakes meeting failed to resolve the “profound divergences” between Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his Deputy, Paul Bérenger, with both leaders reportedly refusing to yield ground.

The political standoff, described by sources as an “ephemeral truce” rather than a reconciliation, has exposed the deepest crisis yet between the Labour Party (PTr) and the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM).

Leaders’ Positions Hardened

A private tête-à-tête between the two political heavyweights on Thursday not only failed to “smooth out differences” but appears to have solidified their inflexible positions, according to well-placed sources:

• Deputy PM Bérenger reportedly told associates that he would maintain his “initial position,” declaring he was ready to “go all the way in his logic of rupture.”
• PM Ramgoolam is said to have rejected the MMM leader’s demands, affirming he would “no longer make concessions by sacrificing his peers” and signalling he would not give in to any demands regarding “red nominees” or possible readjustments sought by the MMM.

Ramgoolam’s retort to Bérenger was allegedly, “I did what I could to satisfy his demands, but now he is going too far.”

riven MMM Faces Generational ‘Cold War’

The internal fissures within the MMM itself burst into the open during a “stormy” Central Committee meeting on Saturday, revealing a sharp “generational fracture.”

• According to members present, a “veritable Cold War” has broken out between party veterans and the ‘new guard’ represented by Joanna Bérenger.
• The veterans are said to fear an immediate loss of power should the party pull out of the alliance, with one veteran reportedly confiding: “I won’t go back into opposition again. If necessary, I will take my political retirement.”
• Conversely, the younger generation, including Joanna Bérenger, is reportedly ready to follow the Deputy PM if the party walks away.

Core Policy Disagreements Unveiled

Sources close to the government reveal that tensions go far beyond mere nomination disputes, resting on “fundamental disagreements” over key national policy:

• Electoral Reform: Ramgoolam wants to entirely scrap the Best Loser System (BLS), arguing it is contradictory to combine it with proportional representation. Bérenger, however, wants to retain the BLS while integrating a dose of proportionality.
• Economic Vision: The leaders hold opposing views on the national currency. One advocates for a strong rupee to contain inflation and stabilise purchasing power, while the other calls for a more flexible monetary policy, suggesting the rupee should be allowed to depreciate. The direction of the rupee is cited as one of the “knots of the problem.”

MMM Snubs Remembrance Day

The growing rift was also visible in symbolic displays. The MMM high command was conspicuously absent from the Remembrance Day 2025 ceremony yesterday at the War Memorial in Curepipe.

Only one MMM MP, Govinden Ventakasami, was seen at the event, while the PTr and other coalition partners were well represented, leaving the impression of a marginalised, or even voluntarily withdrawn, MMM.

Future Uncertain

The upcoming days are poised to be decisive. While Paul Bérenger has begun individual meetings to “calm spirits and rally the hesitant” within the MMM, Navin Ramgoolam is reportedly tightening the ranks within the PTr.

The Deputy PM’s determination to impose his political line is noted, despite his age and doubts over his health, even as some party cadres hint at “the end of a cycle.”

Minister Ajay Gunness had earlier attempted to downplay the severity of the situation, claiming that it was “the press that invented the crisis” between the government’s number one and number two.

Source: l’Express