Bérenger Quits MMM after 57 Years to Form New Political Movement

Paul Bérenger, the veteran politician who helped found the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) in 1969, has sensationally resigned from the party after more than 50 years of involvement.

Announcing his departure on his Facebook page, Mr Bérenger confirmed he intends to launch a new political movement alongside activists and citizens who share his values.

He described the decision to leave the party he co-founded as a “heartbreaking” moment that carried “the weight of a lifetime.”

A “Profound Rupture” over Government Ties

The former MMM leader cited a “profound rupture” with the party’s current direction as the primary reason for his exit.

Mr Bérenger revealed he had spent months warning against internal “drifts” and practices that he considers incompatible with the party’s founding principles.

Specifically, he pointed to the party’s decision to remain within the government “without conditions, without guarantees, and without clear requirements” regarding the implementation of the programme promised to the Mauritian people.

“Remaining in power must never be an end in itself,” Mr Bérenger stated. “Power only has legitimacy when it is exercised with rigour, courage, and absolute respect for the word given.”

Legacy of Transformation

Reflecting on his half-century of engagement, Mr Bérenger characterised the MMM as a “force of national transformation” that fought for:

• Workers’ rights and social emancipation.
• Democratic institutions and expanded freedoms.
• Electoral reform, a cause he described as “central” and one he hopes to see completed in his lifetime.

“The Combat Continues”

Despite expressing “immense sadness” over the split, Mr Bérenger maintained that he was leaving with the serenity of a man who has never compromised his convictions.

He emphasised that his resignation was not an abandonment of his political struggles but a continuation of them.

The new movement, he promised, will be built with those ready to challenge the established order, just as he did when the MMM was first formed in 1969. “The combat continues,” he concluded.

Source: Defi Media