🇲🇦 “Morocco’s king appoints the country’s first woman prime minister”
The headline refers to a historic political development in Morocco on September 29, 2026.
King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s new Head of Government, making her the first woman in Moroccan history to hold the position. She was also tasked with forming a new government.
👩 Who is Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri?
El Mansouri is a Moroccan lawyer and politician from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).
Before becoming Head of Government, she had held several important positions:
- Mayor of Marrakech, first elected in 2009.
- Minister of National Territory Planning, Urban Development, Housing and City Policy from 2021.
- One of the leaders of the PAM.
- She has a legal background, including studies in France.
🗳️ Why was she appointed?
The appointment follows Morocco’s September 23, 2026 parliamentary elections.
The PAM won the largest number of seats, with 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Under Article 47 of Morocco’s Constitution, the King appoints the Head of Government from the political party that comes first in the parliamentary elections.
However, the PAM does not have a parliamentary majority on its own. El Mansouri therefore has to negotiate with other parties to form a governing coalition.
For comparison:
- PAM: 97 seats
- RNI: 66 seats
- Istiqlal: 65 seats
A majority requires 198 seats.
🌍 Why is this important?
This is a major milestone for women’s political representation in Morocco because no woman had previously headed the Moroccan government.
It also makes El Mansouri the second woman to lead a government in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, although the political circumstances of their appointments were different.
📌 What happens next?
Her immediate task is to form the new government.
She will need to hold discussions with other political parties, build a parliamentary coalition and then present the government for royal approval.
The new government will also face major challenges, including:
- Youth employment
- Inflation and purchasing power
- Economic reforms
- Public services
- Major infrastructure and investment projects
- Preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
