King Mohammed VI on Monday appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s prime minister, making her the first woman to hold the post in the country’s history.

El Mansouri, 50, leads the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), which won 97 of the 395 seats in the September 23 parliamentary elections. She has been tasked with forming a coalition government in the coming weeks.

She becomes only the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world, after Tunisia’s Najla Bouden. Her appointment is being seen as a landmark moment for women’s political leadership in North Africa.

The new government faces pressing challenges, including youth unemployment and the cost of living. El Mansouri has pledged to prioritise social reforms and economic growth as coalition talks begin. Political analysts said her appointment could reshape the country’s public life, where women have steadily gained ground in parliament and business but never led a government. Coalition negotiations are expected to focus on cabinet portfolios and a common economic programme before the new government is presented to parliament.