King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Prime Minister of Morocco Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, national coordinator of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, outgoing Minister of Regional Planning and Urban Planning and mayor of Marrakech. She thus becomes the first woman to head the Moroccan government.
Published on: 09/29/2026 - 6:10 p.m. Modified on: 09/30/2026 - 10:46 a.m.
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King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Prime Minister of Morocco, making her the first woman to head the government, the royal palace announced Tuesday, September 29.
The monarch received Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, national coordinator of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), at the royal palace in Rabat and "charged her with forming the new government", the statement said.
This appointment comes after the PAM's victory in the legislative elections of September 23. The center-right party, which was part of the outgoing ruling coalition, won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives in a vote marked by a turnout of 38%, the lowest in almost 20 years.
No majority
Without an absolute majority, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri will now have to deal with other parties to form a government coalition for five years, even if the main directions of strategic sectors remain the prerogative of the king.
See alsoMorocco: alliances are taking shape while waiting for a head of government
This 50-year-old lawyer joined the PAM when it was created in 2008 by the current advisor to the king, Fouad Ali El Himma. This close friend of Mohammed VI, however, withdrew in 2011. Under the colors of this formation, she made her mark in the history of Marrakech by becoming, at just 33 years old, the first female mayor of the tourist city in 2009. A position that she currently holds for a second term since 2021.
She was also Minister of Housing in the outgoing government of Aziz Akhannouch and was elected deputy in the September 23 elections.
A climate of mistrust in Morocco
The vote was held against a backdrop of distrust towards the political class and concerns about rising unemployment and inequalities, particularly among young people.
Also read “I will not vote for anyone”: in Morocco, many young people will shun the legislative elections
The lack of prospects among part of Moroccan youth has come to the fore after the massive influx of migrants to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta at the end of July.
The new Prime Minister will have to tackle persistent socio-economic problems while striving to restore citizens' confidence in public action.
His party promised during the campaign to achieve average growth of 5% per year, to keep inflation at 2% to preserve purchasing power and to create at least one million jobs during his mandate.
The Justice and Development Party (PDJ) in opposition
The National Rally of Independents (RNI), from which the outgoing head of government Aziz Akhannouch comes, came second with 66 seats, losing around thirty seats compared to the last legislative elections in 2021.
The Istiqlal Party, also present in the outgoing coalition, is third with 65 seats.
In opposition, the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which notably campaigned on the fight against corruption, quadrupled the number of its seats by winning 54, compared to 13 during the last legislative elections.
The day after the election, its secretary general Abdelilah Benkirane rejected the idea of joining the majority.
With AFP
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