King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first woman prime minister following the September 23 parliamentary election.
The royal palace said on Tuesday that the king tasked El Mansouri with forming a new government. She will begin coalition talks before submitting her proposed cabinet for royal approval.
El Mansouri leads the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which won the largest number of seats. PAM secured 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.
The National Rally of Independents (RNI) won 66 seats, while Istiqlal secured 65. The Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 54 seats and has said it will remain in opposition.
El Mansouri Makes Political History
El Mansouri is a lawyer and former housing minister. She also served as mayor of Marrakech and became the first woman to hold that position.
Her appointment makes her the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy. The king retains significant powers over foreign policy, defence and other major areas. Under the constitution, the head of government is appointed from the party winning the most seats.
Key Challenges Ahead
El Mansouri’s government will oversee major preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Portugal and Spain.
The government will also face economic challenges, including youth unemployment, inflation and demands for improved public services. El Mansouri has said she has “no red lines” in coalition negotiations.
Voter turnout was about 38%, down from around 50% in the previous election.
