Fatima Zahra El Mansouri took office as Morocco’s first female prime minister on September 29, 2026, after King Mohammed VI appointed her in Rabat following her party’s win in the parliamentary elections.
King Mohammed VI received Fatima Zahra El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, officially appointing her to lead the government and tasking her with forming a new cabinet. Article 47 of the Constitution provides that the sovereign appoints the head of government from within the political party that finishes at the top of the legislative elections for the Chamber of Representatives, taking those results into account, as noted by fr.le360.ma.
Authenticity and Modernity Party Wins the September Vote
The Authenticity and Modernity Party secured 97 of the 395 parliamentary seats in the September 23 legislative elections, according to fr.le360.ma. The National Rally of Independents took 66 seats, the Istiqlal Party secured 65, the Justice and Development Party winning 54, the Popular Movement claiming 29, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces taking 26, and the Party of Progress and Socialism winning 19.
Speaking at a press conference in Rabat just days before her appointment, El Mansouri addressed the prospect of leading the executive branch. If His Majesty the King entrusted me with the responsibility of head of government, it would be a great honor for me,
she stated, as reported by Le360. King Mohammed VI stands as a major defender of women’s rights while brushing aside claims of a setback for women in politics and society, according to fr.le360.ma. Fouzi Lekjaa was described as a campaign star and an asset to the party who had always maintained ties to the formation since its inception, noting that what surprised citizens was simply his decision to join, as fr.le360.ma notes her comments regarding him. She succeeds Aziz Akhannouch, who had held the post since September 2021 following the previous election victory of the National Rally of Independents.
Legal Career Precedes Marrakech Mayoralty
Born in Marrakech on January 3, 1976, El Mansouri earned a private law degree from Mohammed V University in Rabat, studied Anglo-Saxon law in the United States, and completed a postgraduate degree in business contract law in France. Admitted to the Marrakech bar on March 22, 2005, she specialized in real estate and property law.
The All Democrats movement marked her entry into public office in 2007, followed by her role within the Authenticity and Modernity Party, where she served as national council president from 2015 to 2024 before becoming coordinator of its collective leadership in 2024. She became the first female mayor of Marrakech in 2009, managing municipal services and urban development until 2015. An administrative court ruling in mid-July canceled her initial 2009 mayoral victory due to ballot paper leaks and protocol destruction—occurring on the same day she lost her father—though an appeals court reinstated her that September. Jaafar Hassoun, the judge behind the initial ruling, was later ousted from the judiciary and claimed he was targeted by authorities for his independent rulings. After serving in the Chamber of Representatives from 2011 to 2021, she returned to the Marrakech municipal council as mayor in 2021 and joined the national government the same year as minister of National Territory Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy.
El Mansouri Faces Turnout Obstacles During Consultations
Voter turnout saw an abstention rate exceeding 60% among an electorate of some 15.8 million registered voters, according to fr.le360.ma. El Mansouri acknowledged these challenges. Reconnecting younger generations with the political process and working to bridge that gap formed a key part of her address to reporters.
El Mansouri must now begin consultations with other political parties to build a parliamentary majority and finalize her ministerial team before presenting the government’s program for constitutional approval, following her official designation by the monarch. Aziz Akhannouch had previously led the government after the 2021 elections.