Morocco Appoints Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri As First Woman Prime Minister

Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as its first woman prime minister, marking a historic development in the country’s political leadership.

King Mohammed VI named El Mansouri to head the government on Tuesday, September 29, and tasked her with forming a new administration, according to the Royal Palace.

The 50-year-old politician is the coordinator of the collective leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which emerged as the largest party in Morocco’s September 23 parliamentary election. PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.

The result falls short of the 198 seats required for a majority, meaning El Mansouri will need to negotiate with other parties to form a governing coalition.

Her appointment also makes her the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, who held the position from 2021 to 2023.

El Mansouri, who has served as Morocco’s urban planning minister and previously as mayor of Marrakesh, described her appointment as a historic moment.

“This is a source of pride not only for me but for all Moroccan women,” she said in a televised address.

Her incoming government will also oversee major preparations and investment programmes linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting with Portugal and Spain.