Morocco’s king appoints the country’s first woman prime minister

Morocco is poised to welcome its first female Prime Minister with the appointment of Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, a 50-year-old leader from the Authenticity and Modernity Party. King Mohammed VI has tasked her with forming a new government following the party's resounding victory in the recent parliamentary election. The liberal-centrist party secured 97 out of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, surpassing the National Rally of Independents (RNI) led by current Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who garnered 66 seats.

El Mansouri has signaled her openness to collaborative discussions with all parties to forge a coalition government. Her party has pledged to bring forth "hope" for the Moroccan populace, with a particular focus on improving education and healthcare services. Despite being the first female PM, the political landscape in Morocco is expected to remain largely unchanged, as the king retains significant authority over foreign policy, defense, and other crucial policy matters.

However, the incoming parliament will play a pivotal role in overseeing the final stages of a $20 billion initiative aimed at preparing Morocco for co-hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain. This administration, referred to as the "World Cup government," is anticipated to pursue economic policies that address the growing youth discontent, which was brought to the forefront by mass protests from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July and a series of deadly demonstrations led by Generation Z last year.

The Authenticity and Modernity Party's surge in popularity during the campaign was largely attributed to the support of Fouzi Lekjaa, a budget minister and head of the football federation, who was also rumored to be a potential candidate for the prime minister's position.