King Mohammed VI of Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country's first woman prime minister, marking a historic breakthrough in the North African kingdom. El Mansouri, a 50-year-old lawyer, was serving as Minister of Urban Planning and mayor of Marrakech before her appointment. She has been tasked with forming the country's next government following last week's parliamentary election.
El Mansouri's appointment followed the victory of her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which emerged with the largest number of seats in the 395-member House of Representatives. The PAM won 97 seats, giving it the largest parliamentary bloc but leaving it far short of the 198 seats required for a majority. El Mansouri becomes only the second woman to head a government in the Arab world, after Tunisia's Najla Bouden, who served as prime minister from 2021 to 2023.
Under Morocco's constitutional system, the monarch appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats in the House of Representatives. El Mansouri now faces the task of assembling a coalition capable of securing parliamentary backing for her government. She has indicated that PAM is prepared to work with other parties in forming the next administration. However, coalition negotiations could prove complicated, with some opposition groups already ruling out participation in the government.
El Mansouri has been a prominent figure in PAM since the party was founded in 2008. She became one of its leading figures and served twice as mayor of Marrakech, including a return to the position in 2021. She has also represented the city in Parliament and held the housing and urban policy portfolio in government. Her political background is closely connected to Morocco's establishment, being the daughter of Abderrahmane El Mansouri, a former senior local official and Morocco's former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
The process that led to El Mansouri's appointment has its roots in Morocco's constitutional reforms following the Arab Spring protests of 2011. Before those reforms, the King had greater discretion in selecting the head of government. The amended constitutional framework requires the monarch to appoint the head of government from the political party that obtains the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections.
El Mansouri's government is expected to inherit a demanding economic and social agenda. Among its immediate priorities will be efforts to contain inflation, raise wages, and create employment, particularly amid concerns over unemployment and dissatisfaction among young Moroccans. The government will also oversee major infrastructure and investment programmes tied to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Portugal and Spain.
El Mansouri studied law at the University of Montpellier in France and rose through PAM's ranks before becoming part of its collective leadership. Her emergence as prime minister represents a significant development in Moroccan politics.
Key points
- Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri is Morocco's first woman prime minister.
- El Mansouri's Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 seats in the 395-member House of Representatives.
- El Mansouri is only the second woman to head a government in the Arab world.
