Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri Takes Office
In a groundbreaking move for gender equality in North Africa, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female Prime Minister. At 50 years old, El Mansouri, who previously served as the Minister of Construction and the Mayor of Marrakech, was received at the royal palace where she was formally entrusted with the task of forming a new government. This significant appointment marks a pivotal moment in Morocco's political landscape, highlighting the progressive changes within the nation's governance.
PAM's Electoral Victory
El Mansouri's appointment follows a decisive victory by her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), in the recent parliamentary elections held on September 23. The PAM secured 97 out of 395 seats, surpassing the previous ruling party, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), which only managed to obtain 66 seats. Founded in 2008 by a former advisor to the king, PAM positions itself as a secular alternative to Morocco's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which garnered merely 54 seats and announced its decision to remain in opposition.
While the Moroccan constitution mandates that the king appoints the Prime Minister from the largest faction in the House of Representatives, it is important to note that the monarch retains the ultimate authority over significant political decisions, ensuring his influence remains a crucial aspect of Moroccan politics.
As reported by heute.at.
