Morocco Appoints First Female Prime Minister Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister, marking a historic development in the nation’s political history. The 50-year-old El Mansouri, who previously served as Minister of National Spatial Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy and as mayor of Marrakesh, was tasked with forming a new government following last week’s legislative elections. Her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the largest number of seats, securing 97 of the 395 seats in Morocco’s House of Representatives. However, the party fell short of the 198 seats required for a parliamentary majority and will therefore need to form a coalition with other parties. El Mansouri described her appointment as “truly historic”, saying it was the first time a woman had been entrusted with leading Morocco’s government. She becomes only the second woman in the Arab world to serve as prime minister, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, who held the position from October 2021 to August 2023. Born in Marrakesh in 1976, El Mansouri studied law in France and the United States. She became the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and returned to the position after the 2021 elections. As minister, she was involved in housing support programmes, urban planning reforms and efforts to rehouse people affected by the Al Haouz earthquake. Her new government will also oversee major investment decisions linked to preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is scheduled to co-host with Portugal and Spain.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister, marking a historic development in the nation’s political history.

The 50-year-old El Mansouri, who previously served as Minister of National Spatial Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy and as mayor of Marrakesh, was tasked with forming a new government following last week’s legislative elections.

Her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the largest number of seats, securing 97 of the 395 seats in Morocco’s House of Representatives. However, the party fell short of the 198 seats required for a parliamentary majority and will therefore need to form a coalition with other parties.

El Mansouri described her appointment as “truly historic”, saying it was the first time a woman had been entrusted with leading Morocco’s government.

She becomes only the second woman in the Arab world to serve as prime minister, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, who held the position from October 2021 to August 2023.

Born in Marrakesh in 1976, El Mansouri studied law in France and the United States. She became the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and returned to the position after the 2021 elections.

As minister, she was involved in housing support programmes, urban planning reforms and efforts to rehouse people affected by the Al Haouz earthquake.

Her new government will also oversee major investment decisions linked to preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is scheduled to co-host with Portugal and Spain.