Fatima Zahra Mansouri has been appointed as the first female Prime Minister of Morocco. This news was announced on Tuesday by the Moroccan royal cabinet. King Mohammed VI has tasked Mansouri with forming the next government.
Victory in Parliamentary Elections
According to the Moroccan constitution, the king has the right to appoint the Prime Minister, but must choose someone from the party that has won the most seats in the parliamentary elections. Mansouri's appointment came after her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), achieved a significant victory in last week's parliamentary elections.
The PAM secured 97 seats out of a total of 395 in the House of Representatives, 31 seats more than its closest rival. However, this election was accompanied by the lowest voter turnout in two decades.
Challenges and Expectations for the New Government
Mansouri stated, "For the first time in our country's history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of leading the government. This is not only a source of pride for me but for all Moroccan women."
She is also recognized as the second woman in the Arab world to serve as Prime Minister; before her, Najla Bouden, the Prime Minister of Tunisia, held this position from 2021 to 2023.
Mansouri's government now needs to address key voter issues, including combating inflation, increasing wages, and creating jobs. At the same time, she expects to manage billions of dollars in investments related to Morocco hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Referring to these challenges, Mansouri said, "We are fully aware that this term will come with high expectations from Moroccans, especially the youth. Therefore, we will present a program that offers tangible and realistic solutions to citizens' concerns."
Fatima Zahra Mansouri was elected as the first female mayor of Marrakech in 2009 and served in that position for six years. She returned to this position in 2021 and has also been a member of parliament.
This 50-year-old politician joined the PAM in 2008 and is currently considered one of the prominent leaders of the party. Her responsibility now is to form a government, and the PAM has stated that it wishes to collaborate with all parties, although some parties, including the Justice and Development Party and the Democratic Left Federation, have announced their intention to remain in opposition.
