Morocco’s first female prime minister is Fatima Zahra El Mansouri, a 50-year-old lawyer and longtime mayor of Marrakesh, whom King Mohammed VI named head of government on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, after her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the most seats in the recent parliamentary elections, according to the BBC.
Key facts
- The king appointed El Mansouri on Sept. 29; she is Morocco’s first woman to lead the government (BBC, Morocco World News).
- She is only the second woman to lead a government in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden (BBC).
- PAM won 97 seats in the 395-seat parliament; 198 are needed for a majority, so it needs a coalition (BBC).
- The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 54 seats, up from 13, and says it will stay in opposition (BBC).
- Coalition talks began Sept. 30 with a delegation from the National Rally of Independents (RNI) (Morocco World News).
Who Is Fatima Zahra El Mansouri?
The BBC reported that El Mansouri studied law at Mohammed V University in Rabat before continuing her education in France and the United States, specializing in business and corporate law. She entered politics after PAM was founded in 2008 and became the first woman mayor of Marrakesh in 2009, returning to the post after the 2021 elections. In the past five years she served as minister for national territory planning, urban planning, housing and city policy under former Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
In February 2024 she became coordinator of PAM’s leadership coalition. She has rejected being portrayed as an “iron woman,” telling the party’s magazine in 2021: “I am neither a woman of steel nor iron… I am a free activist,” per the BBC.
How Was Morocco’s Prime Minister Chosen?
Under Morocco’s constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the party that comes first in elections to the House of Representatives, the BBC explained. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy, though most power remains with the king. The BBC said the king chose El Mansouri over the country’s football chief, Fouzi Lekjaa, another senior PAM figure. The palace’s announcement, published by Maroc.ma, entrusts her with forming the new government.
The BBC noted that the appointment was once largely a formality because most parties were led by a single secretary general; PAM has had collective leadership since February 2024.
Morocco’s First Female Prime Minister: What Happens Next?
With 97 seats, PAM must build a coalition. Morocco World News reported that El Mansouri began consultations Wednesday at PAM’s Rabat headquarters, meeting an RNI delegation including party leader Mohamed Chouki, and that meetings were also planned with Al Istiqlal. The three parties formed the 2021 government led by RNI’s Akhannouch.
Complicating matters, the BBC said PAM has fallen out with the RNI, and Morocco World News noted PAM had earlier ruled out staying in coalition with it. Last week, however, El Mansouri said she would have no “red lines” on working with different political forces, according to the outlet. PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane has said his party will not partner with PAM and vowed to oppose the coming government.
Why Does the Appointment Matter?
El Mansouri called her selection “historic” and framed it as a win for all women in Morocco, per the New York Times as summarized by Just Security. The BBC noted she has rarely spoken publicly about women’s rights or gender inequality, despite debates in Morocco over polygamy and equal inheritance. For more African political coverage, see our reports on the U.S. withholding a U.N. visa from Sudan’s al-Burhan and renewed Tigray fighting in Ethiopia.
FAQ
Who is Morocco’s new prime minister? Fatima Zahra El Mansouri of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, appointed by King Mohammed VI on Sept. 29, 2026, according to the BBC.
Has she formed a government yet? Not yet. Morocco World News reported coalition consultations began Sept. 30; PAM holds 97 of 395 seats and needs 198 for a majority.
Is she the first woman to lead an Arab government? No. The BBC said she is only the second woman to lead a government in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden.