Fatima Zahra El Mansouri named as Morocco's first female prime minister

Key Points:

• Fatima Zahra El Mansouri has been appointed Morocco's first female prime minister following her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (Pam), winning the most seats in recent parliamentary elections.
• She is only the second woman to lead a government in the Arab world, after Tunisia's Najla Bouden, and was chosen by King Mohammed VI over another top party politician, Fouzi Lekjaa.
• El Mansouri, a lawyer by training and former mayor of Marrakesh, has served as a minister in the previous coalition government and is known for her pragmatic political approach rather than outspoken advocacy on women's rights.
• Pam holds 97 seats in the 395-member parliament and must form a coalition to achieve a majority, but it has strained relations with the National Rally of Independents (RNI), the outgoing government's leading party.
• The king's appointment marks a significant moment in Moroccan politics, with El Mansouri emphasizing respect for the king's support of women and expressing honor at her new role.