King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco's first woman prime minister on Tuesday, September 29. The appointment follows the September 23 parliamentary elections, in which her liberal-centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) came out on top.
A lawyer and politician, Mansouri previously served as the mayor of Marrakech and as the Urban Planning Minister. She is only the second woman to lead the government of a North African country and the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world.
Following a royal decree, Mansouri has been tasked with forming a new cabinet, likely a coalition government with other political groups. Her government is expected to make major investments linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup while facing pressing issues including unemployment and living costs.