On Tuesday, September 29, King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as head of government, marking a historic moment for Morocco. She is the first woman to hold this position in the country's history. El Mansouri, who is the national coordinator of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), has previously served as the minister of Territorial Planning and Urbanism and as mayor of Marrakech. The royal palace announced that the monarch charged her with forming the new government after her party's victory in last week's legislative elections. The PAM, a center-right party, secured 97 of the 395 seats in the Chamber of Representatives, the lowest voter turnout in nearly 20 years at 38 percent. Because the party does not have an absolute majority, El Mansouri must now negotiate with other political groups to form a government coalition for the next five years. However, the king retains the final say on strategic decisions. El Mansouri described the appointment as "truly historic" and expressed pride for Moroccan women. She emphasized her commitment to dialogue with all political groups, including the Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD), in a fragmented parliament. Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, 50, comes from a prominent family in Marrakech. Her father, Abderrahman El Mansouri, was Morocco's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. She is a lawyer specializing in land and property law, having studied in Morocco, the United States, and France. She joined PAM in 2008 and made history by becoming the first woman mayor of Marrakech at the age of 33 in 2009. She has held this position for a second term since 2021 and previously served as a minister of Housing. She was elected to Parliament in the recent elections but will be replaced by the second person on her list, while she continues as mayor until the next municipal elections in 2027. El Mansouri faces significant challenges, including addressing high youth unemployment and rising living costs. She aims to "give hope" to young people, a priority in a country grappling with deep economic and social expectations. Recent events, such as the migration crisis in Ceuta and the GenZ 212 movement's protests for better public services, highlight the urgency of her mission. In addition to these domestic issues, she must also manage the co-organization of the 2030 World Cup and the autonomy plan for Western Sahara. Her experience in leading PAM's collective direction may help in forging necessary compromises to build a stable government coalition.