Who is Fatima El Mansouri, Morocco’s first female prime minister?
Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as its first woman to head the government, making her one of the most prominent female political figures in the Arab world.
King Mohammed VI appointed El Mansouri on September 29, 2026, after her Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged with the most seats in Morocco’s September 23 parliamentary election. The king tasked her with forming a new government.
But who is Fatima El Mansouri, the woman now set to lead Morocco’s government?
Who is Fatima El Mansouri?
Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri was born on January 3, 1976, in Marrakech, Morocco.
The 50-year-old politician is a lawyer by profession and has spent years working in local government, parliament and the Moroccan cabinet.
She studied private law at Mohammed V University in Rabat before obtaining an advanced degree in business contract law from the University of Montpellier in France. She also holds a certificate in Anglo-Saxon law from Pace University in the United States.
Before entering politics, El Mansouri worked as a lawyer specialising in real estate and property law. She was registered with the Marrakech Bar from 2005.
Her legal background later became part of a political career that took her from Marrakech’s municipal council to Morocco’s national government.
How did Fatima El Mansouri enter politics?
El Mansouri began her political career in 2007 as a member of the Movement of All Democrats.
She became a founding member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) when it was established in 2008.
Her rise was particularly notable in Marrakech.
In 2009, El Mansouri became the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakech, at the age of 33. She remained in the position until 2015 before returning to the office after the 2021 local elections.
Her political career also took her to parliament.
She was elected to Morocco’s House of Representatives in 2011 and served until 2016. She later served as president of PAM’s National Council from 2015 to 2024.
Since 2024, she has been one of the coordinators of PAM’s collective leadership.
What government position did Fatima El Mansouri hold?
Before becoming prime minister, El Mansouri served as Minister of National Territory Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy.
She held the ministerial position from 2021 until her appointment as head of government in September 2026.
During her time in government, she was involved in Morocco’s housing policy, including a housing support programme launched in 2024.
Her experience in housing and urban planning came after years of working in Marrakech’s municipal government, giving her experience at both local and national levels.
How did El Mansouri become Morocco’s first female prime minister?
El Mansouri’s appointment followed Morocco’s latest parliamentary election.
Her PAM party finished first, winning 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives. The result put the party ahead of the National Rally of Independents, which won 66 seats, and Istiqlal, which won 65.
PAM did not win enough seats to govern alone.
Under Morocco’s constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the political party that finishes first in elections for the House of Representatives. King Mohammed VI therefore appointed El Mansouri and asked her to form a government.
She must now negotiate with other political parties to build a governing coalition.
El Mansouri has said she would have “no red lines” in coalition negotiations, according to Reuters.
What does her appointment mean for Morocco?
El Mansouri’s appointment marks the first time a woman has headed Morocco’s government.
It also makes her only the second woman to serve as head of government in the Arab world, following Tunisia’s Najla Bouden, who served from 2021 to 2023. Tunisia’s current prime minister, Sara Zaafarani, also holds the position, making El Mansouri the third woman to serve as a prime minister in an Arab country.
Her appointment comes at a significant time for Morocco.
The new government is expected to oversee major investments connected to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Portugal and Spain.
It will also face economic and social issues, including unemployment, living costs and concerns among young Moroccans. Reuters reported that the government is expected to work on economic reforms while overseeing the final stages of preparations for the World Cup.
What happens next for Fatima El Mansouri?
El Mansouri’s appointment does not mean she can immediately govern with a complete cabinet.
Her immediate task is to negotiate with political parties and put together a coalition government.
She must then present the proposed cabinet for royal approval.
Her PAM party’s 97 seats are well short of the 198 seats needed for a majority in the 395-member House of Representatives. That makes coalition negotiations an important early test for the incoming government.
For El Mansouri, the appointment represents the latest stage of a political career that has taken her from the Marrakech Bar to the city’s municipal leadership, parliament, the cabinet and now the country’s highest government office.
At 50, she becomes the first woman to lead a Moroccan government and takes charge at a time when the country is preparing for one of the biggest international events in its history.