Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister and tasked her with forming a new government.
The appointment followed the September 23 parliamentary election, in which El Mansouri’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged with the highest number of seats in the 395-member House of Representatives.
The Royal Palace announced the appointment on Tuesday, stating that the King received El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat before naming her head of government in accordance with the country’s constitution.
PAM secured 97 seats, ahead of the National Rally of Independents, which won 66 seats, and the Istiqlal Party, which secured 65 seats. The results mean El Mansouri will need to negotiate with other political parties to form a coalition government.
Morocco operates as a constitutional monarchy, with the King retaining significant powers. Under the country’s constitution, the monarch appoints the head of government from the political party that wins the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives.
El Mansouri, 50, is a lawyer and former mayor of Marrakech. She also served as minister responsible for national territory planning, urban planning, housing and city policy in the outgoing government.
Her appointment makes her the first woman to lead Morocco’s government and the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.
The incoming administration will oversee Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
El Mansouri’s government will also have to contend with economic and social challenges, including youth unemployment and concerns over the delivery of public services.
