Labour-PMSD: Power sharing between prime ministers?

There is a lot transpiring about a Labour Party and PMSD alliance in preparation for the next general elections (which many now believe is not that far away).

However, both parties are currently in a dilemma over which formula they should adopt if they were to ally to face the other political formations in the future.

The Labour Party made it clear (we published the story here: Labour-PMSD alliance 80% done) that it would only grant a certain number of seats to the PMSD on the conditions that it accepts the post of deputy PM.

While the details are not ironed out, our source told us the Labour Party want a 70-30 seats sharing formula, with the deputy PM’s post going to PMSD leader Xavier-Luc Duval while the Labour Party would promote its own Shakeel Mohamed as the new VP in the alliance.

The PMSD is said to have offered a different solution: 25 seats for the party and the rest for the Labour if Duval gets the role of PM for two years, in a deal similar to the MMM-MSM deal that catapulted the MMM leader Paul Raymond Berenger to power in 2003. 

It was part of a deal forged by ex-Deputy PM Harish Boodhoo (read out story on Harish Boodhoo here) in which the MSM leader Sir Aneerood Jugnauth would assume the role of PM for 3 years and Berenger for 2 years. Berenger had the current PM Pravind Jugnauth to assume the role of deputy PM (replacing Berenger), which was part of the deal.

The MSM and the MMM shared the same number of seats, 30 each of the 60 mainland seats. The MSM/MMM alliance won 54 of the 60 seats.

The PMSD is said to be adamant on the Prime Ministers power sharing deal, but if the deal falls through due to intense pressure from the Labourites, WFTV was told the PMSD would accept a formula where it will share the same number of seats with the Labour but Duval will remain as the Deputy PM.

We are told the Labour would want to stick to this deal rather than the one in which Duval will be come the PM after 3 years of Labour rule. But the talks are still ongoing and more updates to come soon.