‘The work starts today’: Mansouri outlines government-building plans after historic appointment

Morocco’s newly appointed head of government, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, said Tuesday that work on forming the country’s next government would begin immediately, pledging to negotiate with political parties and present King Mohammed VI with a government capable of meeting citizens’ expectations.

Speaking after her appointment at the Royal Palace, Mansouri said she had received the king’s directives for the next stage of the government-formation process.

The work starts today. We will start with internal negotiations within the PAM, then with all political parties, so that in the nearest future we may present the King with our proposal for a government.

Mansouri said the future government would need to respond to expectations among Moroccans, particularly young people, and pledged a program based on what she described as realistic solutions.

We are very aware of the importance of this phase, carrying many Moroccan citizens’ expectations, especially Moroccan youth. We will present a program that proposes realistic solutions to our citizens, as directed by His Majesty.

Her appointment comes after the Authenticity and Modernity Party, or PAM, emerged as the largest party in the Sept. 23 parliamentary elections, winning 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.

Mansouri, 50, becomes Morocco’s first woman to head the government. She previously served as mayor of Marrakech and as minister of national territory planning and urban policy.

Mansouri described the appointment as a historic moment not only for herself but for Moroccan women.

This is a historic moment. For the first time in our country’s history, a woman will shoulder the responsibility of heading the government. This isn’t only a personal pride, but a pride for all Moroccan women.

She linked her appointment to what she described as the king’s longstanding confidence in Moroccan women.

“The King has always believed in the capabilities of Moroccan women, and believed that the Moroccan woman deserves respect and recognition,” Mansouri said.

She said the appointment should also send a message to women across the country, adding that her own experience as a woman had given her an understanding of the challenges women face.

As a woman myself, I am aware of the challenges women face. The royal directives are clear: to hopefully have a harmonious society.

Mansouri now faces the task of assembling a parliamentary majority around PAM, which won 97 seats but fell short of the 198 seats needed for a majority in the 395-member chamber. RNI won 66 seats and Istiqlal 65, leaving coalition negotiations central to the formation of the next government.

Before her appointment, Mansouri had said PAM was open to discussions with all political parties and that it had set no “red lines” on potential alliances.

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