Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as its new Head of Government, making her the first woman to hold the position in the country’s history. King Mohammed VI appointed her on Tuesday, September 29, following the victory of her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) in last week’s parliamentary elections.
King Mohammed VI received El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat on Tuesday and tasked her with forming the country’s new government, according to the Royal Palace statement.
El Mansouri, who served as coordinator of the PAM’s collective leadership, now begins the process of forming a new cabinet after her party emerged as the largest political force in the September 23 legislative elections. PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in Parliament, meaning it will need to work with other parties to form a governing majority.
The 50-year-old lawyer has previously served as Minister of National Territory Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy and as mayor of Marrakech.
Her appointment marks a historic development in Moroccan politics, as no woman had previously led the country’s government.
El Mansouri’s immediate task is to form a new cabinet following the parliamentary election. Under Morocco’s constitutional system, the Head of Government is appointed from the party that comes first in legislative elections.
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