Morocco appoints Fatima El Mansouri as first woman prime minister

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Marrakesh mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman prime minister after her party won the largest number of seats in last week’s parliamentary election. The royal cabinet said the king had tasked the 50-year-old El Mansouri, who previously served as housing minister, with forming a new government. In a televised address, she described the appointment as historic and said it was a source of pride for Moroccan women.

Her centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, 31 more than the next party. The result did not give it an outright majority, meaning it will have to negotiate a coalition. The National Rally of Independents won 66 seats and the Istiqlal party took 65.

The Islamist Justice and Development Party secured 54 seats, a substantial increase from its 13 seats in 2021. Its leader, former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane, called the result a victory but ruled out joining a PAM-led coalition, alleging that the party was tainted by fraud without providing details. El Mansouri said she would first consult members of her party before beginning discussions with other political groups.

She said her government would face high expectations, especially from young people, and promised a programme focused on concrete and realistic solutions. The new government is expected to address unemployment, living costs and social disparities. The election followed public concerns about economic opportunities and services, including demands for improvements in health and education.

The PAM has pledged average annual economic growth of 5%, inflation of 2% and the creation of at least one million jobs during its five-year term. The royal cabinet announced the appointment after a vote marked by the lowest turnout in two decades.