Prime Highlights-

• King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first woman prime minister after her PAM party won the most parliamentary seats.
• El Mansouri becomes the second woman prime minister in the Arab world and will lead coalition talks to form a new government.

Key Facts-

• PAM won 97 of 395 seats, and a parliamentary majority requires 198 seats.
• Voter turnout was about 38% in the September 23 election, down from about 51% in 2021.

Background-

King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first woman prime minister and asked her to form a new government, the royal palace said on September 29.

Her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the most seats in the September 23 election, taking 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. She will now build a coalition, since a majority needs 198 seats.

El Mansouri becomes the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden in 2021. A lawyer, she has served as housing minister and now serves as mayor of Marrakech.

The National Rally of Independents won 66 seats, Istiqlal took 65 and the Justice and Development Party won 54. The Justice and Development Party said it will stay in opposition.

PAM had earlier ruled out working with the National Rally of Independents, but El Mansouri now says she has no “red lines” in coalition talks. “We have turned the page,” she said.

The new government will oversee major infrastructure spending as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. It will also focus on jobs, living costs and public services, especially for young Moroccans seeking economic opportunities.

Turnout was about 38%, compared with about 51% in 2021, giving the new government a chance to strengthen public trust in elected institutions.

Four women served as ministers in the outgoing government. The king appoints the head of government from the party that wins the most seats.