RABAT : King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as Morocco’s new head of government and tasked her with forming a new cabinet, marking a historic first for the North African country.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Royal Palaces, Mansouri was received by the King at the Royal Palace in Rabat in her capacity as coordinator of the collective leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).

The statement said the appointment was made under Article 47 of Morocco’s Constitution, with Mansouri entrusted with forming the country’s next government.

Her appointment follows parliamentary elections held on September 23, in which PAM secured 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, emerging as the largest party. However, the result fell short of an outright majority, meaning Mansouri will need to negotiate with other political parties to form a governing coalition.

Mansouri, a lawyer by profession, has been one of PAM’s most prominent political figures and became part of its collective leadership in 2024.

She also won a parliamentary seat in Marrakech, a city where she has maintained a strong political presence.

Before her appointment as head of government, Mansouri served as Minister of National Land Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy in the outgoing government. She has also served as mayor of Marrakech since 2021.

Her appointment makes her the first woman to lead the Moroccan government, adding a historic milestone to the country’s political landscape as negotiations now begin over the composition of the new coalition government.

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