Morocco Crowned Its First Female Prime Minister

Wed Sep 30 2026 01:56:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri, a seasoned lawyer and former mayor, named Morocco’s first woman prime minister after her party won the parliamentary elections.

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri has become Morocco's first female prime minister, the second woman to head a government in the Arab world. A lawyer-turned-politician, she was selected by King Mohammed VI over other prominent figures such as a football chief. El Mansouri’s Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 of 395 seats and now must forge a coalition to govern. Her appointment marks a historic moment in a constitutional monarchy where the king retains key powers.

Fatima Zahra El Mansouri Named Morocco’s First Female Prime Minister

In a landmark event, Fatima Zahra El Mansouri was appointed king’s choice for the role of head of government, becoming Morocco’s first woman to hold the position. The decision followed her centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party’s (PAM) best performance in last week’s parliamentary election, securing 97 seats out of 395 in the House of Representatives.

El Mansouri – a lawyer by training who studied at Mohammed V University before advancing her education in France and the United States – rose through the ranks of PAM to become the first female mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and served again from 2021. She also held cabinet portfolios for territorial planning, urban development and housing during former Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch’s administration, and since February 2024 has been the coordinator for PAM’s collective leadership structure.

The king’s appointment was a historical break from the usual practice of nominating the single leader of the election‑winning party. In this election PAM was run by a collective leadership, giving the monarch freedom to choose between El Mansouri and rival candidate football chief Fouzi Lekjaa. King Mohammed VI ultimately selected the seasoned administrator, citing his record and experience. El Mansouri praised the monarch as “the biggest advocate for women,” while also stressing the historic honour of leading the government.

PAM now must build a coalition to reach the 198‑seat threshold needed for a majority. The party has considerable rivals in the Islamist Justice and Development Party, which earned 54 seats, and the National Rally of Independents. The political landscape remains fluid, but the appointment of a woman to the highest executive post marks a significant step for gender representation in an Arab kingdom where the monarch retains ultimate authority.