King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, a leader of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), as Morocco’s head of government, making her the first woman named to the post. She has been tasked with forming a government. The appointment places El Mansouri at the center of a demanding political period. Her government will face expectations over social policy and regional inequality as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup. Early life and political background El Mansouri was born in Marrakech on Jan. 3, 1976, and is 50. Her family comes from the Rehamna region near the city. Her late father, Abderrahmane El Mansouri, served as pasha of Marrakech for three decades and was Morocco’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Growing up close to public administration, politics and diplomacy shaped her early interest in law and public service. Education El Mansouri attended French schools in Marrakech and earned her baccalaureate at Lycée Victor Hugo. She later studied law in France, obtaining a postgraduate diploma in business contract law from the University of Montpellier. She also earned a diploma in Anglo-American business law from New York University and a degree in private law from Mohammed V University in Rabat, according to the supplied account. From law to politics After completing her studies, El Mansouri established a law practice in Marrakech specializing in property and commercial transactions. She joined PAM when it was founded in 2008. A year later, at 33, she was elected mayor of Marrakech, becoming the first woman to lead the city’s municipal council. The supplied account describes her as the second woman to become a mayor in Morocco. Government and party leadership El Mansouri went on to serve in parliament. She returned to the Marrakech mayoralty in September 2021 and was appointed minister of national territory planning, urban planning, housing and city policy the following month. In February 2024, she became coordinator of PAM’s collective leadership, strengthening her position within the party before her appointment to form a government. The challenges ahead El Mansouri’s appointment is a milestone for women in Moroccan politics. Her government will also be judged on its response to demands for improved living standards, efforts to narrow the gap between cities and less-developed areas, and preparations for the 2030 World Cup.
