MMM at 57: Navarre-Marie Urges Party to Break Free From Nostalgia

The Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM), one of Mauritius's oldest and most storied political parties, marked its 57th anniversary on Sunday 27 April with a congress held at Réduit, in the west of the island. Among the speakers was Arianne Navarre-Marie, a senior MMM figure and current Deputy Prime Minister, who delivered a speech that balanced reflection on the party's history with a pointed call to look forward. **Honouring the past — but not living in it** Navarre-Marie opened by paying tribute to the generations of militants who built the MMM from the ground up. "Yesterday is the MMM's history, and we honour that history and the path the MMM has taken. It is the memory of our struggles, our hopes, and the sacrifices each of us has made," she said, speaking largely in Mauritian Creole. But her central message was a warning against romanticising that legacy at the expense of progress. "We cannot live in nostalgia. The past must not prevent us from moving forward. On the contrary, our past must light the way so that we can advance," she declared. She also acknowledged the collective debt the party owes to those who came before: "Their commitment is part of our collective memory." **Responsibility in power** Navarre-Marie did not shy away from harder truths about governing. She stressed that the MMM must not retreat from difficult decisions simply because they are unpopular. "The MMM cannot, every time, choose to run away from difficulties — especially when unpopular decisions have to be made," she said. This was a notable moment of candour at a party congress, where speeches tend toward celebration. Her remarks suggested an awareness that the MMM, now part of the governing alliance, faces real tests of political will. **What is the MMM?** Founded in 1969 by Paul Bérenger and a group of left-wing activists, the MMM was a transformative force in Mauritian politics, championing workers' rights and challenging the post-independence establishment. It has been in and out of government multiple times over the decades and remains one of the main political parties in the country. The party's 57th anniversary congress brought together militants and officials to take stock of its current position and future direction. **What this means** Navarre-Marie's speech reflects a broader tension within established Mauritian political parties: how to keep long-standing members energised by shared history while attracting newer voters who care more about present-day performance than founding mythology. Her call for the MMM to take bold, even unpopular decisions signals that the party's leadership is trying to position itself as a credible governing force — not just an opposition movement defined by its past. Source: ION News