Morocco appoints Fatima Zahra Mansouri as first female prime minister

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as prime minister, making her the first woman to hold the post in the country. The announcement was made on Tuesday, four days after the results of parliamentary elections were published. Mansouri has been asked to form a new government and begin coalition talks.

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The Royal Palace said Mansouri will lead the next administration after her centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party won the most votes in the election. Morocco's electoral system makes it difficult for any single party to secure an outright majority, which means coalition-building is usually required. Mansouri, who is 50 and a lawyer by training, was serving as urban planning minister and had also been mayor of Marrakech.

Her appointment is significant because the Moroccan constitution gives the king the power to appoint the prime minister, but since 2011 he has been required to choose from the party that wins the most seats. That change followed pressure from Arab Spring protesters and marked a shift in the balance between the monarchy and elected politics. Mansouri is now expected to assemble a governing alliance in the coming days.

The new government is likely to face immediate economic and social pressures, including plans for major investment linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The incoming administration is also expected to address inflation, wages and job creation, according to the election campaign priorities outlined around the vote. The appointment therefore carries both symbolic and practical weight, as it comes at a time when voters are looking for delivery on economic promises.

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Mansouri has been a prominent figure in Moroccan politics for several years. She joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party when it was created in 2008 and became one of its leading figures in 2024. She has twice served as mayor of Marrakech and has also been a member of parliament.

It remains unclear how quickly a coalition can be formed and what balance of parties will emerge in the next cabinet. The election result showed the Authenticity and Modernity Party winning the largest share of votes, but not enough to govern alone. The next stage will be whether Mansouri can secure enough support to turn the appointment into a functioning government.

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