King Mohammed VI of Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s prime minister.
The Royal Palace of Morocco announced on Tuesday, September 29, that El Mansouri, the country’s urban planning minister and mayor of Marrakesh, had been tasked with forming a new government.
She is the first woman in Morocco’s history to hold the position.
In a televised address, El Mansouri described her appointment as “truly historic” and said the development was a source of pride for Moroccan women.
The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), of which El Mansouri is a member, won the most seats in the recent elections, securing 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives.
The party needs 198 seats to form a government on its own and will therefore need to form a coalition with other parties.
She is the third woman in the Arab world to serve as prime minister.
