Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as its first woman prime minister after her centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party in the parliamentary elections.
PAM won 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, securing 31 more seats than its nearest rival. However, the election recorded the lowest voter turnout in two decades.
King Mohammed VI tasked the 50-year-old El Mansouri, who previously served as housing minister, with forming a new government, according to the royal cabinet.
In a televised address following her appointment, El Mansouri described the development as a historic moment for Morocco.
She said her appointment marked the first time a woman had been given responsibility for leading the government, calling it a significant moment for Moroccan women.
Since PAM did not secure an outright majority, El Mansouri will need to negotiate with other political parties to form a coalition. The Moroccan monarch, however, retains broad constitutional powers over major policy areas.
El Mansouri said consultations would initially take place within her party before negotiations begin with other political groups.
She joined PAM in 2008, the year the party was established by royal adviser Fouad Ali El Himma. El Mansouri became the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh in 2009. She lost the position in 2015 before returning to the mayoral office in 2021.
The new government faces several economic and social challenges, including unemployment, rising living costs and persistent inequalities affecting young people.
The parliamentary election followed growing concerns over economic opportunities and public services. A year earlier, a youth-led protest movement had demonstrated for improvements in healthcare and education.
El Mansouri acknowledged the high expectations surrounding the new government, particularly among young people, and pledged to present practical measures to address public concerns.
PAM has campaigned on an economic programme targeting average annual growth of 5 per cent, inflation of around 2pc and the creation of at least one million jobs during its five-year term.
The National Rally of Independents (RNI), which leads the outgoing coalition government, secured 66 seats, while the Istiqlal Party won 65.
The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) secured 54 seats, a significant increase from the 13 seats it won in 2021.
PJD leader and former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane described the result as a victory but ruled out joining a coalition led by PAM. He alleged electoral fraud but did not provide details to substantiate the claim.
