Morocco’s first woman prime minister draws international attention

Wednesday 30 September 2026 - 14:58

By: Azzat Manal

Morocco’s first woman prime minister draws international attention

The appointment of Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first woman prime minister has attracted significant attention from international media, which have highlighted both the political implications of the decision and its symbolic importance for women’s representation in the country.

King Mohammed VI appointed El Mansouri on September 29 and tasked her with forming a new government after the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which she coordinates, emerged as the largest political force in the September 23 parliamentary elections. The appointment followed the constitutional process under which the head of government is chosen from the party that wins the largest number of seats.

PAM secured 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, ahead of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), which won 66 seats, and the Istiqlal Party, which took 65. The Justice and Development Party (PJD) obtained 54 seats. The distribution means that PAM does not hold an outright majority and that the formation of the next government will require negotiations with other parties.

El Mansouri’s appointment marks a first in Morocco’s political history. She becomes the country’s first woman to head the government and the second woman from the Arab world to hold such a position after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, who served as prime minister from 2021 to 2023.

International coverage has focused on El Mansouri’s political career as well as the significance of her new position. She previously served as mayor of Marrakech and as minister responsible for national territorial planning, urban planning, housing and city policy. Her rise within PAM has also placed her at the center of the party’s political strategy ahead of the new government’s formation.

The appointment comes at a time when Morocco is entering a new political phase following parliamentary elections in which voter turnout stood at about 38%. The final results confirmed PAM as the largest party but left it well short of the 198 seats required for a parliamentary majority.

The immediate task for El Mansouri will therefore be to negotiate a governing coalition and present a proposed cabinet for royal approval. The composition of that coalition will determine the balance of political forces within the next administration and could shape its legislative priorities.

Beyond coalition-building, the incoming government will face a series of economic and social challenges, including employment, investment, public services and household purchasing power. The administration will also oversee major infrastructure and investment programs linked to Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

The international interest in El Mansouri’s appointment also reflects broader discussions about women’s participation in political decision-making in Morocco and across the Arab world. Her arrival at the head of government represents a notable change in the country’s political leadership, while the effectiveness of the new administration will depend on the coalition it builds and the policies it adopts.

With the election results now confirmed and the government-formation process underway, attention is expected to remain focused on El Mansouri’s coalition talks, the distribution of ministerial portfolios and the priorities of the next Moroccan government. The process will provide the first indication of how the new political balance in parliament will translate into executive policy.