The Royal Palace of Morocco announced on Tuesday, September 28, that King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima-Zahra Mansouri as the new prime minister. With this appointment, Ms. Mansouri becomes the first woman in Morocco's history to hold this position.
According to the Royal Palace's statement, King Mohammed VI has tasked Ms. Mansouri with forming a new government. This development follows the victory of her "Authenticity and Modernity Party" in last week's parliamentary elections.
Ms. Mansouri's party secured 97 out of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. However, since no party won an absolute majority (198 seats), she will need to negotiate with other parties to form a coalition government. Ms. Mansouri had previously stated that she has "no red lines" in coalition talks.
Fatima-Zahra Mansouri, a 50-year-old lawyer, has a long history in Moroccan politics. She has previously served as the Minister of Housing and Urban Policy and has twice been elected as the mayor of Marrakesh. In 2009, she became the first female mayor in the country's history.
Her appointment as prime minister makes Morocco the second country in the Arab world to have a woman as head of government. Previously, Najla Bouden served as prime minister of Tunisia from October 2021 to August 2023.
This event is seen as a significant step towards female empowerment in the North Africa region and the wider Arab world, drawing considerable attention.
Source: Royal Palace of Morocco
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