Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as the country’s prime minister, making the 50-year-old lawyer the first woman to hold the post in the North African kingdom. Mansouri becomes only the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.
The Royal Palace tasked Mansouri with forming a new government following parliamentary elections in which her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party. Morocco’s electoral system makes it difficult for a single party to secure an absolute majority, making coalition-building crucial to the formation of the next government.
Coalition challenge
Mansouri is expected to begin negotiations with other political parties in the coming days to assemble a governing majority. PAM has signalled its willingness to work with different political formations, although some parties have already said they will remain in opposition.
Among them are the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party and the left-wing Federation of Democratic Left.
The new government will take office at a consequential time for Morocco, which is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. It will oversee billions of dollars in infrastructure investment while facing domestic pressure to tackle inflation, raise wages and create jobs.
Rise through PAM
A lawyer by training, Mansouri studied at the University of Montpellier in France before establishing herself as a prominent figure in Moroccan politics. Until her nomination as prime minister, she served as Urban Planning Minister and mayor of Marrakech.
Mansouri joined PAM after its creation in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a childhood friend and close adviser to King Mohammed VI. She rose to become one of the party’s senior leaders in 2024.
She has twice served as mayor of Marrakech and has also been a member of parliament. Her father, Abderrahmane El Mansouri, known as the “pasha of Marrakech”, was a senior local official who also served as Morocco’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Historic appointment
Under Morocco’s Constitution, the king appoints the prime minister but must select the person from the political party that wins the most seats in parliamentary elections.
The requirement was introduced through constitutional reforms in 2011 following Arab Spring protests. Before the changes, the monarch could appoint a prime minister without being restricted to the party that emerged as the largest in parliamentary elections.
Mansouri’s appointment follows PAM’s first election victory since the party was founded in 2008. About one million of Morocco’s 15.8 million registered voters backed the party in last week’s election.
Past allegations
Mansouri had previously faced conflict-of-interest allegations after unidentified hackers claimed that she had used her position for personal benefit in connection with land transactions in Marrakech.
She denied the allegations, described them as defamatory and initiated legal action. The claims have not been established as fact.
Focus on World Cup
The incoming government will have responsibility for major projects linked to Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 World Cup. At the same time, it will face pressure to address household economic concerns, particularly inflation, wages and employment.
Mansouri must now translate PAM’s election victory into a workable parliamentary coalition. The negotiations in the coming days will determine the composition of Morocco’s next government.