Morocco Names Fatima Ezzahra as First Woman Prime Minister

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister, making her the second woman in the Arab world to hold the position.

The Royal Palace confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, tasking Fathima, 50, who is also the urban planning minister and mayor of Marrakesh, with forming a new government. She described the appointment as a historic moment in a televised address.

“For the first time in our country’s history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of leading the government,” she said. “This is a source of pride not only for me but for all Moroccan women.”

Fatima's Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which is loyal to the monarchy, won the largest share of the 395 seats in the lower house of parliament, the House of Representatives, in Morocco's elections, which were announced four days ago.

Key Highlights

• Fatima has become Morocco’s first woman prime minister
• Her party won the most parliamentary seats but needs coalition partners to form the government
• Fatima brings experience as Marrakesh mayor and urban planning minister

With 198 seats, PAM will need to form a coalition to form a government and Fatima's first challenge will be to do just that.

PAM, which was established in 2008 by a friend of the king, Fouad Ali El Himma, has stated that it is willing to cooperate with all. Some, however, such as the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and Federation of Democratic Left have declared they will continue to form part of the opposition.

Ahead of the upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup to be the main host of Morocco, Portugal and Spain, this governing coalition will decide the billions of dollars to be invested.

After Tunis's Najla Bouden who became prime minister in October 2021 and held the office until August 2023, Fathima is the second woman to hold the role in the Arab world.

Fathima was born in Marrakesh in 1976 and studied law, with a diploma in advanced studies from the University of Montpellier, France, and a diploma in Anglo-Saxon business law from the New York University in the USA.

She had also been very early in local governance, elected mayor of Marrakesh in 2009, replacing the first woman to hold the job in the city, in 2009.

She was re-elected at the end of her first term to become the leader of the municipal council in Marrakesh after the elections of 2021. In addition, she had legislative experience serving in the House of Representatives several times.

Fathima took up the role of Minister of the President and Minister of National Spatial Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy in the national government in October 2021.

During her tenure, this portfolio was linked to a number of important files such as the direct housing support program, the changes related to urban planning and spatial development as well as the rehousing of victims of the Al Haouz earthquake.