Mauritian Militant Movement

The Mauritian Militant Movement (french: Mouvement Militant Mauricien also known as the MMM ) is a Left socialist political party in Mauritius. The party was formed by a group of students in the late 1960s.

It is the second largest single party in the National Assembly with 20 MPs and the second largest party in local government with 4 councillors. It is the main opposition party and is currently is a coalition opposition with the sister party Militant Socialist Movement as from May 1st, 2012.

Colloquially referred to as the Militant, the MMM emerged in 1969 out of the original Club des Etudiant, which dates to 1967. The group which was initially a club for University students after the major strike and riots which happened in France in which Paul Berenger was one of the initial leaders. When coming back from his studies, he decided to launch a group to fight for the rights of students for a better education and better equal opportunities for every student after the devastated country with a high level of famine and poverty in which the British Empire surrendered the authority to the Mauritian government, then composed of the Mauritian Labour Party, Independent Forward Block and the Muslim Action Committee.

Following a strike at the International Airport of Mauritius in 1968 following the arrival of an African country Leader in the country to show the youth resistance to their policies in which the government believed, the MMM became a famous group with young leaders including Deva Virahsawmy, Jooneed and Chafeekh Jeeroburkhan. The party was formed in 1969 after the popularity of the group gained an unexpected weight.

In 1970, during the by-elections of 1970 following the death of Lall Jugnauth (who was former Attorney General & member of the Independent Forward Block). Dev Virasawmy was elected as Member of Parliament to serve in the National Assembly. The party gained impact on society through their newspaper known as 'Le Militant'.

In 1976 elections, it won the largest number of seats. However, a last minute coalition between the Labour Party and Mauritian Social Democrat Party in the hung-parliament formed the government. In 1982, the MMM won all the seats in parliament with a total of 60 seats on 60 seats. They formed a government with the party's then President Anerood Jugnauth as prime minister and leader of the government. The first elected MMM prime minister is therefore Anerood Jugnauth.

Following a scission between Paul Berenger and Jugnauth in 1983, the second named resigned as party president with some of his supporters. They all together and created the MMM's sister party, the Militant Socialist Movement also known as the MSM. The MSM created from the MMM dissidents is also one political party in the country.

The MSM managed to stay in power until 1995, winning all elections in 1983, 1987 & 1991. The MMM came back in power in 1995 in a coalition with the Labour Party. They resigned in 1997 and came back lastly in government in 2000. In 2005, then Prime Minister Paul Berenger lost the general elections with 42.6% of direct votes against 48.8% for the Alliance Sociale led by Navin Ramgoolam.

In 2010, the MMM brought 42.46% with Paul Berenger as leader and candidate to become Prime Minister. However, it lost to the alliance led by Navin Ramgoolam which obtained 49.31% of direct votes. Therefore, they form the main opposition party with Berenger as Leader of the Opposition.

Promoting socialism, the MMM principles are to advocate a fairer, more democratic Mauritian society, free from discrimination due to social class, race, community, caste, religion, gender or sexual orientation.