King Mohammed VI of Morocco named Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister on September 29 after her center-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won 97 out of 395 seats in parliamentary elections. El Mansouri, a 50-year-old former housing minister and mayor of Marrakesh, called her appointment “truly historic,” highlighting the significant step for Moroccan women’s political representation. Despite PAM's lead, forming a coalition government will be necessary as no single party achieved an outright majority.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
King Mohammed VI of Morocco appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, 50, as the country’s first woman prime minister on September 29 after her party won a parliamentary election held on September 23. The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), founded in 2008 by an adviser to the king, secured 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives. Despite this victory, PAM did not achieve an outright majority, necessitating potential coalition-building with other parties.
El Mansouri previously served as Marrakesh’s mayor and housing minister before becoming prime minister. Her appointment marks a significant milestone for women's representation in Moroccan politics and is seen by many as a step towards modernization and secularism within the predominantly conservative Arab kingdom. However, some critics question her ability to effect change given Morocco’s constitutional monarchy structure, where the king retains ultimate executive power.
The PAM has positioned itself as an advocate for social modernisation and secular-leaning views, acting as a counterweight to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD). While El Mansouri’s appointment is celebrated by many Moroccans as a positive move towards equality, others remain skeptical about its impact due to traditional patriarchal norms that dictate male dominance in official capacities.
Written for “Morocco First Female Prime Minister” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Morocco names Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri first woman PM
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Morocco → name → Mansouri
The king of Morocco on Sept 29 named Marrakesh mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri the country’s first woman prime minister, the royal Cabinet announced, after her party won last week’s parliamentary elections.
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party → name → elections
Her centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) had dominated the vote, winning 97 out of 395 seats in the House of Representatives – 31 more than the next closest competitor, although the poll was marked by the lowest turnout in two decades.
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poll → dominate → decades
The royal Cabinet said King Mohammed VI has now tasked the 50-year-old, who also served as housing minister, with “forming the new government”.
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who → say → government
Speaking shortly after, El Mansouri said in a televised address her appointment was “truly historic”.
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“For the first time in our country’s history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of leading the government,” she said.
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she → take → government
Without an outright majority, the PAM will have to form a coalition with other parties, though the monarch retains broad powers over major policies.
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monarch → have → policies
For the new premier, “the work starts today”, she said.
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“We will first initiate internal consultations within our party before holding discussions with all political groups.”
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El Mansouri joined the PAM in 2008, the year it was founded by current royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma as a counterweight to the country’s Islamist movement.
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She was also the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh, winning the office in 2009 before losing it six years later, then retaking it again in 2021.
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El Mansouri’s Cabinet will have to tackle several pressing issues including unemployment and living costs, as well as persistent social disparities particularly weighing on young people.
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The parliamentary vote came just weeks after tens of thousands of mainly young Moroccan migrants rushed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, a crisis that highlighted socio-economic frustrations among the youth.
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that → come → youth
It also came a year after a Gen-Z protest movement took to the streets to demand better health and education.
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movement → come → health
“We are fully aware that this period will be significant and marked by high expectations from Moroccans, particularly young people,” El Mansouri said.
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“That is why we will have a programme offering concrete and realistic solutions to citizens’ concerns.”
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Her party has pledged average annual economic growth of five per cent, inflation of two per cent and the creation of at least one million new jobs over its five-year term.
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The PAM was followed in the polls by the National Rally of Independents (RNI), which heads the outgoing coalition and won 66 seats.
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The right-wing Istiqlal party came third with 65 seats, while the Islamist opposition’s Justice and Development Party (PJD) took 54 seats.
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The PJD made significant gains after winning just 13 seats in 2021, having focused its campaign in part on fighting corruption.
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Its chief, former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane, hailed a “victory” but ruled out joining a coalition led by the PAM, which he said was “tainted by fraud”, without providing details.
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The Aporia
