Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman prime minister after her Authenticity and Modernity Party emerged as the biggest party in the September 23 parliamentary election.
The royal palace announced the appointment on Tuesday, saying the King had tasked El Mansouri with forming a new government.
El Mansouri’s Authenticity and Modernity Party, known as PAM, was founded in 2008 by an adviser to the King.
The liberal-centrist party has positioned itself as a counterweight to the Islamist Justice and Development Party while supporting social modernisation and secular-leaning policies.
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy in which the King retains significant powers over areas including foreign policy and defence.
Under the country’s constitution, the monarch appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats in the House of Representatives.
PAM won 97 seats in the election, ahead of the National Rally of Independents, which secured 66 seats, and the conservative nationalist Istiqlal party, which won 65.
The party’s performance was strengthened by the entry of Fouzi Lekjaa, the country’s football federation chief and a former government budget manager, shortly before the election.
El Mansouri, a lawyer who previously served as housing minister and mayor of Marrakech, will now lead negotiations to form a coalition government.
The proposed cabinet will be submitted to the King for approval.
During the campaign, PAM had ruled out remaining in a coalition with the RNI after the two parties blamed each other for policy shortcomings, including rising food prices.
However, El Mansouri said on Thursday she would have no “red lines” in the coalition talks.
“We have turned the page,” she said.
Meanwhile, former prime minister and Justice and Development Party leader Abdelilah Benkirane said his party, which won 54 seats, would remain in opposition.
The new government will also oversee Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 World Cup, which the country will co-host with Portugal and Spain.
The preparations are part of a reported $20bn investment programme.
The administration is also expected to pursue economic measures aimed at addressing youth dissatisfaction, an issue that has featured prominently in recent protests and other unrest.
Voter turnout fell to about 38 per cent, compared with around 50 per cent in the previous election five years ago.
Women have held several senior institutional positions in Morocco in recent years, while the outgoing government had four female ministers.
El Mansouri’s appointment, however, marks the first time a woman will serve as head of government.
