Morocco Coalition Picks First Woman to Lead Government

King Mohammed VI received Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat on September 29, 2026, appointing her head of government. She is Morocco's first woman to hold the post. Her PAM-led coalition holds 207 of 395 parliamentary seats, clearing the 198 needed for a majority. On Monday, four parties — PAM, Istiqlal, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and the Party of Progress and Socialism — issued a joint statement announcing the coalition. They said the agreement produces a strong political government, made up of components marked by ideological and political proximity, united in, and committed to, a shared reformist vision. El Mansouri said the agreement followed two rounds of consultations aimed at building a politically coherent majority. PAM won 97 seats in the September 23 election. Istiqlal won 65. The National Rally of Independents finished second with 66 seats and was excluded from the coalition. PAM was founded in 2008 by an adviser to the king. Turnout in the election was about 38 percent, according to MEO. Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal; Reuters puts the preparation push at $20 billion. What's contested: no notable disputes in the available reporting.