CASABLANCA, Morocco — Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Tuesday named Urban Planning Minister Fatima Zahra Mansouri as the country’s prime minister, making the 50-year-old attorney the first woman to hold the position in the Muslim kingdom, reports BritPanorama.
Mansouri, who until her nomination also served as the mayor of Marrakech, has been tasked with forming a new government, according to a statement from the Royal Palace. This announcement follows the parliamentary election results announced just four days earlier, in which Mansouri’s centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party.
Staking a significant position in the Arab world, Mansouri is the second woman to assume the role of prime minister in the region, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden. She faces the challenge of building a coalition government, a necessity given Morocco’s electoral system, which consistently complicates efforts for any single party to secure an absolute majority.
Her new government is anticipated to facilitate substantial investments related to the 2030 FIFA World Cup while addressing critical issues such as inflation, wage increases, and job creation.
The Moroccan Constitution empowers the king, as the country’s highest authority, to appoint the prime minister from the party that secures the most seats in parliamentary elections. This constitutional change was a significant outcome of the Arab Spring protests in 2011, aimed at increasing political accountability.
Mansouri became a founding member of PAM in 2008, created by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close associate of the king. A law graduate from the University of Montpellier, Mansouri has forged a notable political path, twice serving as mayor of Marrakech and holding a seat in Parliament.
She is the daughter of Abderrahmane El Mansouri, known as the “pasha of Marrakech,” who held various significant positions including Morocco’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Despite her achievements, Mansouri has faced allegations of conflict of interest, specifically regarding land transactions in Marrakech, which she has denied, describing the claims as defamatory, and plans to pursue legal action.
In the recent elections, one million out of 15.8 million registered voters supported PAM, marking a pivotal victory for the party since its inception. This election was notably the first following the Ceuta migration crisis last July and subsequent youth-led protests.
With her royal nomination complete, attention now shifts to the coalition that will form the upcoming government. Although PAM has expressed a willingness to collaborate with other parties, some groups, including the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party and the left-wing Federation of Democratic Left, have indicated their intention to remain in opposition.
