Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has appointed Marrakesh Mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country’s first female prime minister following her party’s victory in last week’s parliamentary election.

El Mansouri, 50, is a senior member of the centre-right Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which secured 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, emerging ahead of its closest rival by 31 seats.

The royal cabinet announced the appointment on Tuesday, saying the king had instructed El Mansouri to form a new government.

Reacting to her appointment in a televised address, El Mansouri described it as a historic moment for Morocco, saying her elevation represented a significant milestone for women in the country.

With PAM falling short of the 198 seats required for a majority, El Mansouri will need to negotiate with other political parties to form a coalition government.

She said her immediate priority would be consultations within PAM before engaging other political groups on the formation of the new administration.

El Mansouri joined PAM in 2008, the year the party was established. She became the first woman to serve as mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and returned to the position in 2021 after losing it in 2015. She also previously served as Morocco’s housing minister.

Her administration is expected to face challenges including unemployment, rising living costs and economic inequality, particularly among young people.

The election followed growing youth discontent over social and economic conditions, including demands for improvements in healthcare and education.

El Mansouri said her government would focus on practical measures to address citizens’ concerns, particularly those of young Moroccans.

PAM has promised average annual economic growth of five per cent, inflation of two per cent and the creation of at least one million jobs during its five-year term.

The National Rally of Independents (RNI), which leads the outgoing coalition government, won 66 seats, while the Istiqlal Party secured 65.

The Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) won 54 seats, a major increase from the 13 seats it secured in 2021. Its leader and former prime minister, Abdelilah Benkirane, described the result as a victory but rejected the possibility of joining a PAM-led coalition, alleging irregularities in the election without providing details.