Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri has made history as Morocco’s first female prime minister after her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) secured the highest number of seats in the country’s parliamentary elections.
King Mohammed VI appointed the 50-year-old lawyer as prime minister on Tuesday and tasked her with forming a new government.
Under Morocco’s constitutional system, the monarch appoints the head of government from the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Representatives. PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in the September 23 parliamentary elections.
El Mansouri, who previously served as mayor of Marrakech, becomes 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.
Her appointment comes as Morocco prepares for the final phase of its plans to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Portugal and Spain.
El Mansouri’s government will also face pressure to address economic concerns and widespread dissatisfaction among young people, including demands for better employment opportunities and living conditions.
The new administration is expected to balance the country’s major infrastructure and World Cup preparations with efforts to respond to growing social and economic concerns.