Morocco's king appoints El Mansouri as first female prime minister

Moroccan King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country's first female prime minister on Tuesday, selecting her from the Authenticity and Modernity Party that secured a plurality in last month's parliamentary elections. The appointment was announced in a royal statement following a meeting at the Royal Palace in Rabat, where the monarch received Mansouri in her capacity as coordinator of the PAM's collective leadership.

Mansouri described the decision as a "historic moment" for the North African nation. "This is the first time that a woman has been appointed to head a government, which is a source of pride for me and for all the women of the country," said the politician, who became Marrakech's first female mayor in 2009 following the PAM's establishment in 2008.

Government formation

Mansouri's Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 seats in the 395-seat House of Representatives during elections held on Sept. 23, falling short of the 198-seat majority required to govern alone. The National Rally of Independents secured 66 seats, followed by the Istiqlal Party with 65 seats and the Justice and Development Party with 54 seats.

Under Morocco's constitutional framework, the king appoints the prime minister from the party winning the most seats, while ministers are appointed on the premier's proposal following consultations to secure a parliamentary majority. The prime minister-designate told reporters she would immediately begin negotiations with other political formations, noting that "we are fully aware of the importance of this stage and of the high expectations of citizens, particularly young people," and promising that "we will draw up a program offering realistic and concrete solutions."