Morocco crowns its first female prime minister

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri in blue blazer
El Mansouri welcomed by crowds after election results.

In a landmark turn of events, King Mohammed VI announced Fatima Zahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first female prime minister after her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), rode the vote to lead the House of Representatives.

The 50‑year‑old former mayor of Marrakesh was chosen over the country’s football chief, Fouzi Lekjaa, a senior PAM figure, underscoring the king’s willingness to place a non‑politician at the helm of government.

El Mansouri, whose background ranges from lawyer to minister for national territory planning, has long been a prominent voice in Moroccan politics. Her appointment marks only the second time a woman has headed an Arab government, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.

Morocco remains a constitutional monarchy, with substantial prerogatives still in the king’s hands. PAM, holding 97 of 395 seats, will have to forge a coalition—most likely with parties outside its former alliance with the National Rally of Independents—to secure the 198 seats needed for a majority.

Political analysts predict the new coalition will face challenges, especially after the Islamist Justice and Development Party abstained from joining the governing bloc. El Mansouri’s record of pragmatic governance may prove decisive as the kingdom navigates the intersection of tradition and reform.