Disagreements Between the PTr and MMM: Government Alliance Saved at the Last Minute

After several days of tension, the Alliance of Change was on the brink of collapse. The crisis has been averted, but fractures remain.

There is palpable relief among the four partners in power. The anxiety that had been brewing for days within the majority dissipated on Thursday afternoon following a "conclusive" face-to-face meeting between Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Navin Ramgoolam and Deputy Prime Minister and MMM leader Paul Bérenger. The threatened Alliance of Change was rescued at the last minute.

In the corridors of power, expressions softened. "Phew… I felt like my head was about to explode," sighed a relieved purple minister. Like many of his colleagues, he resisted the temptation to break away advocated by their leader. "We stood firm against Paul Bérenger, not because we wanted to maintain our ministerial comfort. We faced a reality: after 19 years in opposition, do you think the militants would be happy for us to leave the government for flimsy reasons?" another MMM deputy candidly shared. Another MMM deputy admitted, "If we had left the government, we wouldn’t be able to walk on the streets. Our militants would have protested against us. They voted us to lead the country, not to return to opposition." These comments reflect a fear of political vacuum, as well as a visceral attachment to the exercise of power after so many years of waiting.

However, on Thursday morning, a break seemed inevitable. Paul Bérenger, holed up in his home with his inner circle, was determined to slam the door on the government. He lamented the government’s sluggishness in establishing the boards of key agencies — the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, the Independent Broadcasting Authority, the Development Bank of Mauritius — and in making strategic appointments, especially at the head of the Financial Crimes Commission. He bitterly recalled that it took a push for sanctions to follow the report on the events at Melrose prison. The MMM leader openly doubted the Prime Minister's genuine willingness to follow through on electoral reform, a campaign promise that had become a mirage. He also condemned "the maneuvers of the gang of five" at the Prime Minister's Office, whom he suspects of acting behind his back. At that point, the idea of a collective resignation from the MMM began to unravel.

Paul Bérenger, an experienced strategist, understood that the vast majority of his elected members would not follow him into this uncertain venture. The prospect of a crushing defeat at the political bureau meeting scheduled for 5 PM was looming: several members demanded that the decision to leave the government be put to a vote. Such an outcome would have been a political humiliation for the historical leader of the MMM. Already, on Tuesday during the BP, a few prominent members had stood up to him.

For a few hours, an intermediate scenario circulated: a symbolic resignation from Paul Bérenger and a few ministers or junior ministers wishing to step down from their positions to serve as backbenchers. A compromise solution, quickly rejected by the majority of purple elected officials, who were fiercely opposed to any break. For them, the priority remained clear: keep the MMM at the heart of power and preserve the stability of the Alliance of Change.

It was in this context that the idea of a tête-à-tête between Paul Bérenger and Navin Ramgoolam emerged. The initiative, discreetly supported by several ministers, received an immediate response from the Prime Minister. The meeting was set for 3 PM at the Treasury building. For over an hour, the two men addressed the accumulated issues head-on: delayed appointments, divergences over electoral reform, administrative sluggishness, and mutual distrust. Upon his exit, Paul Bérenger appeared calm again. Before his close aides, he spoke of a "positive" exchange and a "page turned".

During the political bureau held later in the afternoon, the tone was subdued. The MMM leader confirmed that the issue would be discussed at the ministerial council on Friday. For now, the essential was saved: the Alliance of Change still breathes.

In the end, the worst was avoided, but nothing is yet won. The Alliance of Change emerges from this crisis like a convalescent: relieved but still fragile. Between Navin Ramgoolam and Paul Bérenger, trust remains a balancing act, based more on necessity than conviction. The government can take a breath, but everyone knows that the slightest misstep could reignite tensions. In Port-Louis, they speak of a truce; at the Government House, a more fitting term is whispered: respite.