Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri appointed Morocco’s head of government

Tuesday 29 September 2026 - 16:10

King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s new Head of Government and tasked her with forming the country’s next executive, marking a historic development in Moroccan political life.

The appointment was announced by the Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery following a meeting between the King and El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. The decision was taken under Article 47 of Morocco’s Constitution.

El Mansouri, coordinator of the collective leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), now enters the next phase of the post-election process: assembling a new government and determining its ministerial composition.

A new stage after the parliamentary election

The appointment comes less than a week after Morocco’s September 23 parliamentary election, in which PAM emerged as the leading political party with 97 seats in the 395-member House of Representatives. The election consequently placed the party at the centre of negotiations over the formation of the next governing majority.

El Mansouri had already been identified as a possible candidate for the premiership in the days following the vote. Before the Royal appointment, she had said that the decision to designate the Head of Government belonged to the King.

Her appointment now gives the post-election political process a formal direction.

First woman to lead the Moroccan government

El Mansouri’s nomination also represents a milestone in Morocco’s political history. She becomes the first woman to serve as Head of Government, according to Reuters and other reports published following the Royal announcement.

The appointment adds a new dimension to her political career, which has included senior responsibilities within PAM as well as government and local-level roles. She has served as Minister of National Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy and as mayor of Marrakesh.

Her new role will now require her to move from party leadership into the process of building a government capable of securing parliamentary support.

Government formation becomes the next priority

The appointment does not by itself complete the formation of the new executive. El Mansouri must now undertake discussions concerning the composition of the government and its political majority.

Before her appointment, PAM had indicated that it was open to discussions with other political formations and had not established fixed exclusion lines for potential alliances.

The coming negotiations will therefore determine the structure of the next government, including the distribution of ministerial responsibilities and the parties that will participate in the governing majority.

The new executive will also take office at a significant moment for Morocco, with major national priorities ahead, including economic and social policy and preparations linked to the country’s hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

For El Mansouri, the immediate task is now clearly defined: translate the electoral result into a governing team and present a programme capable of obtaining parliamentary confidence.