There are many ways to look at politics. However, in my opinion, we could resume it into two streams: (i) the ‘status-quo’ one, cling to the past and its rhetoric and (ii) the ‘forward-looking’, reformist one that projects itself in the future. Much has been said these days about the different moves of the major political parties, more specifically between the LP and the MMM that account for more than 85% of electoral bank votes.

The ‘hypothetic’ alliance between the two major political parties of the country has triggered interesting debates and thoughts on the future of the country. The discussions for a new constitution and Republic cast an interesting option for the country: a new Mauritius in the making. At the same time we can witness that the plurality of opinions and possibility for each and everybody to  express himself/herself nowadays has led to  numerous ideas leading to a consensus: Mauritius needs reforms and urgently.

Life is a dynamic process politics alike has its own dynamics too. Mauritian politics has been all but a drama in the last twenty-five years. We have seen all sorts of alliances leading to disillusions and creating all sorts of frustrations. It can thus be understood why a large portion of the population is quite skeptical with the ‘alliance in the making’ show.

When we go along history we notice that in the twentieth century there have been two major political parties in the country: the LP and the MMM, both were born during difficult periods and had their political base within the unions but moved away from their initial causes for which they fought to join the ‘mainstream’. There is not much that differentiates them in terms of ideology and positioning. However, they do have different ‘human pools’.

The ‘new labour’ that came into power in 2005 has within its midst a number of ex-MMM lads. It is not a surprise that these two parties are today talking about an alliance. The labour party’s charismatic leader has grown today in a real political master: he has a vision not for himself but for his country. The leader of the MMM too cherishes the same vision: that of a united Mauritius geared towards the future and looking ahead for a brighter picture.

 Reshaping the country requires tremendous efforts. With a continuous outflow of intellectual power outside the country in the last fifteen years, there is a dire need of all available brains on the island. The visions of the two leaders is along the same of those enlightened ones that fought for independence and it is not a mere coincidence that all the ‘gossips’ around the ‘hypothetic alliance’ leaked a few days before the celebration of the 42th anniversary of the independence and 18th anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius. The proposed alliance is not just another fancy coalition of political parties: the future of Mauritius is in the Making.

What are the opportunities that can be unleashed in the near future? A forceful alliance can pave the way for a number of reforms: in the public sector, mode of elections, constitution, labour market, economy. It is also an opportunity for another political force to pave its way with a new generation of politicians to pop up. In the wake of the ‘alliance’ already debates have been initiated on a number of issues that concern everybody in the country. This fact will definitely have a bearing on the decisions that the two leaders would take in the near future we are all in fact participating in one way or the other to what Mauritius should be in the 21st century. If this alliance materializes, it would have a definite impact on the lives of all Mauritian citizens, be it for the positive or the negative... but mark my words: it would not be just another alliance.

Le Scorpion