After months of denials, Xavier-Luc Duval is finally ready to explain himself. This Monday, he will hold a press conference at the headquarters of the Mouvement Socialiste Militant (MSM) at Sun Trust. Accompanied by his new allies, the leader of the Parti Mauricien Social-Démocrate (PMSD) will address his rapprochement with the MSM, a party he fiercely opposed for eight years.
Until now, the PMSD had always denied any rapprochement with the MSM. This came despite persistent rumors following Duval’s eviction from the Parti Travailliste (PTr)-Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) alliance. Even after appointing Adrien Duval as Speaker of the National Assembly, seen as a precursor to the alliance, Xavier-Luc Duval rejected the idea of formal discussions with the MSM.
Now, Duval must explain this political shift. Many view it as a U-turn, especially after his 2016 departure from the government over the Prosecution Commission Bill. He saw the bill as a threat to the independence of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Until recently, the PMSD had strongly criticized the government led by Pravind Jugnauth. Duval raised numerous Private Notice Questions (PNQs) against the government in the National Assembly. Over 24 hours after the alliance announcement, the PMSD’s silence raises further questions.
Mahmad Kodabaccus, the PMSD’s secretary general, says Xavier-Luc Duval will explain his decision during the press conference, alongside the MSM and the Muvman Liberater (ML).
Varen Andee, a former vice president of PMSD and now a member of Nouveaux Démocrates, isn’t surprised by the alliance. He claims that Duval had been secretly negotiating with the MSM since January, even while still allied with the PTr-MMM. “We already knew this. That’s why we left the PMSD,” Andee said. He criticized Duval for sidelining him and his colleagues, including Khushal Lobine, Richard Duval, Véronique Leu Govind, and Serge Arlanda.
Andee believes their questioning of Duval made them “too embarrassing” for the party. He also wonders how Duval will explain the 135 PNQs he raised against the government. “Xavier-Luc Duval will pay the price for his betrayal on November 10,” Andee warns, referring to the upcoming general elections.
For article publication inquiries, feel free to get in touch.