Morocco gets first woman prime minister as king appoints Fatima Zahra Mansouri to top post

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has appointed his first female prime minister, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, following the country's recent parliamentary election on September 23. The election saw El Mansouri's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) win the most seats, with the party advocating for social modernization and secular views as a counterweight to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD).

PAM, created in 2008, has positioned itself as a moderate alternative to the PJD by focusing on social progress and secularism. The party's rise in the election, bolstered by the recruitment of Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco's football federation chief and a former government budget manager, allowed El Mansouri to be appointed as the new head of government.

El Mansouri, a lawyer who previously served as housing minister and mayor of Marrakech, will now lead the process of forming a coalition government and submitting a list of cabinet members for King Mohammed VI's approval. The incoming government will focus on addressing economic challenges, including the final stages of a $20-billion initiative to prepare for the 2030 World Cup co-hosted with Portugal and Spain.

Economic concerns, such as widespread youth discontent and hyperinflation, were prominent issues in the campaign. The PAM had previously ruled out forming a coalition with the conservative nationalist Istiqlal party, but El Mansouri stated during a Thursday interview that she had no red lines in negotiations.

The new government will consist of PAM with 97 seats, the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 seats, and the conservative nationalist Istiqlal with 65 seats. During the campaign, PAM had ruled out a coalition with the RNI, but El Mansouri announced on Thursday that there were no restrictions in her negotiations.

Abdelilah Benkirane, the former prime minister and leader of the opposition PJD, which won 54 seats, has stated that his party would remain in opposition. Turnout in the recent election was lower than previous elections, with around 38% of eligible voters participating, compared to approximately 50% in the 2016 election when the moderate Islamist PJD was defeated after a decade in power.

Morocco's recent political landscape has seen the appointment of women in senior roles, including El Mansouri as the first female prime minister. The outgoing government included four women ministers.