Morocco's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has given its head of government-designate, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, full authority to negotiate the makeup of the next governing majority. This decision was made during an extraordinary session of the party's National Council at the Skhirat Congress Palace. El Mansouri, who was appointed by King Mohammed VI as head of government, is the first woman to hold the post 18 years after the founding of her party.
The National Council delegated the mandate to El Mansouri and a consultations commission that includes Fouzi Lekjaa, Ahmed Akhchichine, and Abdellatif Ouahbi. The committee will continue contacts with parties represented in parliament to define the shape of the coalition. El Mansouri described the internal debate as challenging, with some members calling for "red lines" on any alliance with certain parties, while others defended keeping dialogue open with all political forces.
El Mansouri stated that the council settled the matter by voting unanimously to delegate the negotiations. The first round of contacts is now complete, and a new round begins next week. Talks started immediately after her nomination and the meeting of the party's political bureau. PAM has opened talks with every party, including those that have signaled a preference for the opposition, and its exchanges with components of the left were positive.
El Mansouri's stated goal is a "strong government" and a "political government" able to deliver a realistic program. She rejected what she called "clientelism in the distribution of posts," and pointed to competence, integrity, and readiness to shoulder responsibility as the criteria for choosing ministers. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, a member of the political bureau, confirmed the mandate, explaining that members held different positions on the nature of the next majority and on which parties might join.
The move came days after PAM topped the September 23 legislative elections, drawing one million of the country's 15.8 million registered voters. El Mansouri called the appointment of a woman to lead the government an "exceptional historic moment," one with particular meaning for PAM 18 years after its creation. She relayed a message from the King, who during their audience asked her to convey his pride in Moroccan women and to salute their efforts in villages and cities.
El Mansouri joined PAM at its 2008 founding by royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma. A law graduate of Montpellier, she was elected mayor of Marrakech at 33 in 2009 and later served as housing minister under Aziz Akhannouch. The path to a coalition remains open, as the electoral system rarely hands any party an absolute majority. The Justice and Development Party (PJD) and the Left Alliance have announced they will stay in opposition.
El Mansouri inherits pressure over unemployment, the cost of living, and youth discontent, seen last year in the GenZ 212 protests and in July's migration crisis at the occupied enclave of Ceuta. Her government will also carry Morocco's co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup and the Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara. With a 38% turnout in the elections, El Mansouri interpreted this as meaning that parties have the responsibility to deliver on their promises and work harder to restore public trust.
Key points
- Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri is the first woman to head a Moroccan government 18 years after the founding of her party.
