*Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first woman prime minister, marking a historic milestone in the North African kingdom’s politics.
The appointment was announced on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, in a statement from the Ministry of the Royal Household. King Mohammed VI received El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat and tasked the 50-year-old politician with forming a new coalition government following the September 23 parliamentary elections.
El Mansouri’s centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party, securing 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. It finished ahead of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 seats and the Istiqlal Party with 65. Under Morocco’s constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats. PAM fell well short of the 198 seats needed for an absolute majority, so El Mansouri must now negotiate a governing coalition.
A trained lawyer and one of Morocco’s most prominent female politicians, El Mansouri previously served as mayor of Marrakesh—the first woman to hold that post—from 2009 to 2015 and again since 2021. She has also been Minister of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy in the outgoing government led by Aziz Akhannouch. In 2024 she became coordinator of PAM’s collective leadership. She studied law in Morocco, France (University of Montpellier), and the United States.
In comments after her appointment, El Mansouri described the moment as historic. “This isn’t just pride for me but pride for all women,” she said, adding that the new government would seek “practical and realistic solutions,” particularly for young people. She is only the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden (2021–2023).
The election saw low turnout of about 38 percent, the lowest since 2007. PAM’s campaign emphasized job creation and social programs. The new government will also oversee preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal, and address economic and social challenges, including youth employment.
El Mansouri’s elevation underscores gradual advances for women in Moroccan public life while the monarchy retains significant powers over key areas of policy. Coalition talks are expected to begin promptly as she works to assemble a majority government.