A First in Moroccan History: King Mohammed VI Appoints Female Prime Minister
Moroccan King Mohammed VI has achieved a first in the country by appointing Marrakech mayor and urban planning minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri to the post of prime minister.
By decision of King Mohammed VI in Morocco, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri has been appointed to the post of prime minister. The 50-year-old El Mansouri became the first woman to hold this office in the history of the kingdom, while also going down in the record as the third female politician to undertake this role in the Arab world.
Historic Appointment and Government Formation Task
In a statement made by the Moroccan Royal Palace on Tuesday, it was announced that 50-year-old Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, who is also the minister of urban planning and mayor of Marrakech, has been tasked with forming the new government.
Election Results and Parliament Distribution
This appointment came four days after the announcement of the results of the elections held last week. The pro-monarchy Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), led by El Mansouri, received the most votes and won 97 of the 395 seats in parliament.
Coalition Search and Political Situation
PAM fell well short of the 198 seats required for an absolute majority. This situation makes it mandatory for El Mansouri to build a coalition in order to form the government, and this process will be the prime minister's first task.
Position in the Arab World and Background
El Mansouri became the third woman to assume the position of prime minister in the Arab world, following former and current prime ministers in Tunisia. Born in Marrakech in 1976, the politician studied law and business law in France and the USA.
Local Government and National Politics Career
Elected as the first female mayor of Marrakech in local government in 2009, El Mansouri returned to lead the municipal council in 2021 and assumed a ministerial post in the national government the same year.