Morocco’s King Mohammed VI appoints Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as first female head of government after her party tops the parliamentary election with 97 seats…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman head of government, tasking her with forming a new administration after her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party in last week’s parliamentary election.
The royal appointment was announced on Tuesday, September 29, following the September 23 election for Morocco’s 395-member House of Representatives.
El Mansouri, 50, is a senior PAM figure who has served as mayor of Marrakesh and as minister responsible for national planning, urban planning, housing and urban policy. She is also the national coordinator of PAM’s collective leadership.
Her appointment marks the first time a woman has held Morocco’s top government post and makes her the second woman in the Arab world to lead a government, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.
Under Morocco’s Constitution, the King appoints the head of government from the political party that wins the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives.
PAM secured 97 seats in the election, according to final results confirmed by Morocco’s Interior Ministry. The National Rally of Independents (RNI) won 66 seats, followed by the Istiqlal Party with 65 and the Justice and Development Party (PJD) with 54.
PAM fell well short of the 198 seats required for a parliamentary majority, meaning El Mansouri will need to negotiate with other parties to form a governing coalition.
The appointment therefore begins a new phase of coalition negotiations, with PAM expected to work with other major parties to secure enough support for the incoming government. Reuters reported that El Mansouri had indicated there would be “no red lines” in coalition talks.
The election also produced a significant shift in the parliamentary balance. RNI, which had been the largest party in the previous election, dropped to 66 seats, while the PJD made a comeback with 54 seats after winning only 13 in 2021.
Turnout was 38.02 per cent, according to Morocco’s Interior Ministry, amid concerns over political disengagement and dissatisfaction among younger voters.
El Mansouri’s government will take office as Morocco prepares for major infrastructure and economic projects linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Her administration will also face domestic challenges including employment, public services and economic pressures, while continuing Morocco’s preparations for the tournament and broader development plans.
A lawyer by training, El Mansouri first became mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and returned to the position in 2021. Her rise to the head of government combines a long career in local administration with senior responsibilities in the national government.
