Ammon News - King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri on ​Tuesday as Morocco's first woman prime minister after her liberal-centrist party came out on top in ‌a September 23 parliamentary election, the royal palace said.

The king asked El Mansouri to form a new government, the palace said in a statement.

El Mansouri’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) was created in 2008 by an adviser to the king and has since positioned itself as ​a counterweight to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) by advocating social modernisation and secular-leaning views.

Morocco is a ​constitutional monarchy where the king retains sweeping powers over foreign policy, defence and other key ⁠portfolios.

Under Morocco's constitution, the king appoints the head of government from the political party that wins the largest ​number of seats in the House of Representatives.

PAM, which was the second-largest member in the outgoing coalition, moved up to ​the top spot, bolstered by the recruitment of Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco's football federation chief and two-time government budget manager, who joined weeks before the vote.

El Mansouri, a lawyer who was housing minister in the outgoing government and Marrakech mayor, will lead talks to form ​a coalition government and submit a list of cabinet members for the king's approval.


Reuters