King Mohammed VI Appoints Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s First Female Prime Minister

MOROCCO, Sept 30 – Moroccan King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as prime minister on Tuesday, making her the first woman to hold the post in the country’s history.

The landmark appointment follows the victory of El Mansouri’s center-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) in the September 23 parliamentary elections, where the party secured 97 seats.

The formal announcement was made in an official statement issued by the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery. Under Article 47 of the Moroccan Constitution, the monarch appoints the prime minister from the political party that wins the most seats in the 395-seat House of Representatives.

King Mohammed VI received El Mansouri—who serves as coordinator of the PAM’s collective leadership—at the Royal Palace in Rabat and officially tasked her with forming a new government coalition.

Following her audience with the King, El Mansouri described her appointment as a “historic moment” for the nation.

“This is the first time that a woman has been appointed to head a government, which is a source of pride for me and for all the women of the country,” El Mansouri said, confirming that she would immediately initiate coalition discussions with other political parties.

“We are fully aware of the importance of this stage and of the high expectations of citizens, particularly young people. We will draw up a programme offering realistic and concrete solutions,” she added.

Election Breakdown and Coalition Dynamics

Because a governing majority in the 395-seat House of Representatives requires at least 198 seats, PAM will need to assemble a broader ruling coalition:

• Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM): 97 seats
• National Rally of Independents (RNI): 66 seats
• Istiqlal Party: 65 seats
• Justice and Development Party (PJD): 54 seats

El Mansouri rose to prominence following PAM’s establishment in 2008 and previously served as the first female mayor of Marrakech starting in 2009. She co-leads the party alongside Minister of Youth and Culture Mehdi Bensaid and Fatima Saadi.

–NMT