Mohammed VI Assigns First Woman in Morocco's History to Form Government

Casablanca - Afaq News - In a historic step, the Moroccan monarch King Mohammed VI tasked Fatima Zahra Mansouri today, Tuesday, with forming the next Moroccan government, thus becoming the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in Morocco's history since independence.

The appointment came after the legislative elections held on September 23, in which the Authenticity and Modernity Party topped the results by securing 97 seats out of 395 in the House of Representatives, making it the largest parliamentary force, although it does not hold an outright majority, which necessitates entering into consultations to form a government coalition.

Mansouri is 50 years old, and she is a Moroccan lawyer and politician who previously served as the mayor of Marrakech. She also held the portfolio for national planning, urbanism, and housing in the previous government. The royal appointment makes her the first woman to lead the Moroccan government and the second to head a government in the Arab world after Tunisian Najla Bouden.

Mansouri had stated after her party topped the elections that the matter of forming the government would adhere to the constitutional and political process, affirming the party's readiness to consult with various political forces and not placing specific parties on a 'red line' list in coalition negotiations.