Morocco's first woman PM El Mansouri sworn in with seven women in 32-member team

Morocco's new government, the first in the country's history to be led by a woman, was sworn in on Friday, October 16, 2026. King Mohammed VI received the members of the cabinet led by Prime Minister Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri at the Royal Palace in Rabat and presided over their appointment ceremony, according to the state news agency Maghreb Arabe Presse. The government has 32 members, counting ministers and ministers-delegate, and seven of them are women, including El Mansouri herself, according to figures reported from the official list. That is one more woman than in the outgoing government of Aziz Akhannouch. Among the women given major portfolios, Charafat Afailal takes charge of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, and Najwa Koukouss becomes minister of Family, Social Development and Equality.

El Mansouri's rise is a landmark for women in politics in North Africa and the Arab world, where few women have led a government. She built her career in local government as mayor of Marrakesh, one of Morocco's best-known cities, before leading her party to the top of the national poll. Her path, from running a city to running a national government, is one that women leaders in many countries, including India, have followed: local office gives experience, visibility and a record voters can judge.

The make-up of her cabinet matters too. Seven women in a team of 32 is still a minority, a little under a quarter, but it is a step up from the government before it. Just as telling is where the women sit. Energy and mines is a heavyweight economic ministry, and a woman in charge of it shows that women in this government are not limited to social affairs. At the same time, the family and social development ministry, which deals with policy on women, children and equality, is also led by a woman.

The government is a coalition. PAM, a centre-right party, has joined with the right-wing Istiqlal Party and two smaller left-leaning parties to command a majority in parliament. Keeping that alliance together will be one of the new prime minister's first tests as a leader. Keeping the same foreign and interior ministers also signals continuity in two of the most important posts.

Short-term: The new ministers take charge of their departments, and the government will set out its programme to parliament. Attention will be on whether El Mansouri's early decisions reflect promises made during the election campaign.

Long-term: If her government performs well, it could make it easier for women in Morocco and the wider region to be seen as candidates for the very top jobs, and could push parties to field more women in winnable positions.

Who is affected: Moroccan citizens and businesses, the coalition parties, women in public life across North Africa and the Arab world, and Morocco's trading partners, including India.

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