King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as Morocco's prime minister on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, making her the first woman to hold the post in the country's history. He tasked her with forming a new government after the Authenticity and Modernity Party came first in the parliamentary elections.
Royal appointment and government formation talks
The Ministry of the Royal Palaces, Protocol and Decorations said the king received Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat and appointed her prime minister under Article 47 of the Constitution. Mansouri is the co-ordinator of the collective leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, which came first in the elections. The royal appointment puts Mansouri in charge of holding talks with political parties to form a coalition with a majority in the House of Representatives.
The Popular Movement won 29 seats, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces won 26, the Party of Progress and Socialism won 19, and the Constitutional Union won 17, while the remaining seats were divided among other parties and alliances. The parliamentary elections were held on 23 September 2026, with 27 parties competing for seats in the House of Representatives.
Lower turnout tests new government
Turnout stood at about 38 per cent, compared with about 50 per cent in the 2021 elections. The decline puts expanding political participation and restoring voters' confidence among the issues facing the new government.
Before her appointment, Mansouri served as minister of national territorial planning, urban development, housing and city policy, and as mayor of Marrakesh. The Authenticity and Modernity Party is led by a collective body co-ordinated by Mansouri, rather than by a single secretary-general. The party was founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, who later became an adviser to the king.
The new government will manage economic and social issues including jobs, wages and living costs, while overseeing investments and projects linked to Morocco's preparations to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
Mansouri's appointment marks a transition from announcing the election results to negotiations over the composition of the governing coalition and the allocation of ministerial portfolios. The prime minister-designate will work to secure a parliamentary majority before presenting the new government's programme to the House of Representatives for a confidence vote in accordance with constitutional procedures.
