Morocco Appoints First Woman Prime Minister

King Mohammed VI of Morocco appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri, the minister of urban planning, as the country's prime minister on Tuesday. Mansouri, a 50-year-old attorney, becomes the first woman to hold the position in the Muslim kingdom.

Mansouri, who also served as the mayor of Marrakech, has been tasked with forming a new government, according to a statement from the Royal Palace. The appointment follows parliamentary elections held four days prior, in which Mansouri's centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the leading vote-getter.

Morocco's electoral system typically makes it challenging for a single party to secure an outright majority, necessitating coalition building. Mansouri is expected to assemble a coalition in the coming days. She is the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, following Tunisia's Najla Bouden.

Her government is anticipated to oversee significant investments related to the 2030 FIFA World Cup and will aim to address issues such as inflation, wage increases, and job creation.

The Moroccan Constitution grants the king the authority to appoint the prime minister, but the choice must be made from the party that wins the most seats in parliamentary elections. This provision was a result of reforms spurred by the 2011 Arab Spring protests; prior to that, the king could appoint a prime minister without this restriction.

Mansouri joined PAM upon its founding in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close confidant of the king. A law graduate from the University of Montpellier in France, Mansouri rose to become one of the party's senior leaders. She previously served two terms as mayor of Marrakech and was a member of parliament.

Mansouri's father, Abderrahmane El Mansouri, was a prominent figure in Marrakech, serving as the city's pasha, heading the local bar association, and acting as Morocco’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

Accusations of conflict of interest arose after hackers claimed Mansouri had used her position for personal gain in Marrakech land transactions. Mansouri denied these allegations, labeling them defamatory and pursuing legal action.

The Authenticity and Modernity Party received one million votes from Morocco's 15.8 million registered voters in the recent election, marking its first electoral victory since its establishment. The election was held in the wake of the July migration crisis at Ceuta and youth-led protests last year.

Following Mansouri's nomination, attention has turned to the formation of the next government coalition. PAM has indicated a willingness to collaborate with various parties, though some, including the Justice and Development Party and the Federation of Democratic Left, have declared their intention to remain in opposition.