Mansouri tasked with forming Morocco’s government
Leader of the victorious PAM party could become the first woman to lead a government in Morocco.
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King Mohammed VI tasked Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri with forming a new Moroccan government on Tuesday. She could thereby become the country’s first female head of government, although her cabinet has yet to be formed.
El Mansouri received the mandate after last week’s parliamentary elections. Her Party of Authenticity and Modernity, PAM, became the largest party with 97 of the 395 seats in parliament, according to Reuters. The Moroccan king chooses the head of government from the party that wins the election.
The appointment does not mean that a full cabinet is already in place. PAM does not have a majority and will therefore need coalition partners. After the election, Reuters reported that the party could hold talks with, among others, RNI and Istiqlal. Those parties hold 66 and 65 seats respectively, according to reports on the result.
El Mansouri is not a new face in Moroccan politics. She is Minister of National Land Use Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy. She has also been mayor of Marrakesh and leads PAM. Her career encompasses local politics, urban development and national government formation.
The new head of government faces a broad policy agenda. Morocco is working on major infrastructure and tourism projects ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which the country is organising jointly with Spain and Portugal. At the same time, employment, purchasing power and discontent among young people are important domestic issues.
The political significance of the appointment extends beyond gender alone. El Mansouri comes from a party seen as liberal and close to the royal palace. In Morocco, the king retains extensive powers in foreign policy, defence and strategic state affairs. The new government will therefore operate within a system in which the prime minister does not hold all power.
It is still too early to say exactly what course the new cabinet will take. First, the coalition talks must be concluded and the ministerial portfolios allocated. The choice of El Mansouri is historic, but the practical influence of her government will depend on the coalition, its relationship with the palace and the implementation of its economic plans.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- El Mansouri has been tasked with forming a government.
- PAM is the largest party but does not have a majority.
- Coalition talks are necessary.
- The king retains extensive powers within Morocco’s system of government.
Left
Arguments The appointment could broaden political representation and create room for greater attention to social services, women’s rights and youth unemployment.
Values Equal opportunities, social justice and democratic inclusion.
Consequences The historic step could inspire confidence, but will remain limited if the balance of power with the palace remains unchanged.
Centre
Arguments The priority is a stable coalition that combines economic projects with reforms and administrative continuity.
Values Stability, feasibility and institutional cooperation.
Consequences A broad coalition can support policy, but requires compromises that weaken PAM’s own direction.
Right
Arguments Morocco should primarily secure economic growth, security and major infrastructure projects; symbolic change must not displace administrative effectiveness.
Values Order, economic development and national continuity.
Consequences A businesslike cabinet could accelerate investment, but social and representative expectations may go unmet.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The appointment and election result are supported by multiple public sources. The text presents the coalition and policy direction as not yet final.
- confirmed Mohammed VI has tasked Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri with forming the government. — Cadena SER reported the king’s mandate on 29 September. source
- confirmed PAM won 97 of the 395 seats. — Reuters reported this result. source
- confirmed El Mansouri is a minister and former mayor of Marrakesh. — The party biography and the OECD profile both mention these roles. source
- confirmed The Moroccan king chooses the head of government from the winning party. — Reuters describes this constitutional political practice in its election analysis. source
Editor's note
The mandate to form a government is reported by two public news sources. The coalition and the cabinet’s final composition were still uncertain at the time of publication; the official government website still listed the previous government.Sources
- Moroccan centrist party tops parliament vote after boost from football chief — Reuters via Internazionale
- El rey de Marruecos encarga por primera vez a una mujer que forme Gobierno — Cadena SER
- Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri — ePAM
- Mayor profile: Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri — OECD
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „marokko fatima ezzahra el mansouri”
- NU.nl — „marokko fatima ezzahra el mansouri”
- De Telegraaf — „marokko fatima ezzahra el mansouri”