Fatima Zahra Mansouri has been appointed to lead the Moroccan government. She is the first woman in the history of this country to achieve this position, and Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco, has tasked her with forming a government.
Victory in Elections and Challenges Ahead
The "Authenticity and Modernity" party, led by Mansouri, became the strongest political force in Morocco in the parliamentary elections held a week ago. This 50-year-old politician secured victory after competing against Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Moroccan Football Federation. Lekjaa, who was considered one of the main candidates for this position, failed to achieve his goal after losing this competition.
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Before Mansouri's appointment, many Moroccan citizens had supported the idea of a woman leading the government. However, conservative religious circles expressed their criticism of this choice, believing that a woman cannot participate in the king's religious ceremonies.
Mansouri's Background and Experience
Mansouri, a lawyer, was elected as the first female mayor of her hometown in 2009. Over the past two years, she has been among the senior leaders of the Authenticity and Modernity party and served as the Minister of Housing in the previous government.
In the parliamentary elections on September 23, only 38% of eligible voters participated. The Authenticity and Modernity party won 97 seats in the parliament, followed by its former coalition partners, the "National Rally of Independents" and the Istiqlal Party, with 66 and 65 seats, respectively.
According to the constitution, the king appoints the head of government from among the members of the largest faction in the House of Representatives. However, Mohammed VI holds extensive powers in Morocco's constitutional monarchy, especially in foreign and defense policy.
Mansouri now needs to form a coalition government. Although the Authenticity and Modernity party had ruled out continued cooperation with the National Rally of Independents during the election campaign, Mansouri has recently shown her willingness to compromise and stated that there are no red lines in negotiations.
The new government will face significant economic and social challenges. This government must oversee the final stages of preparations for the $20 billion FIFA World Cup 2030, which Morocco will host alongside Spain and Portugal. Additionally, discontent among the youth has significantly grown, manifesting in a massive assault on the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July and in deadly protests.
During her election campaign, Fatima Zahra Mansouri promised to "give hope back to the youth of Morocco."
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