Morocco Appoints Fatima Ezzahra Mansouri as Head of Government

King Mohammed VI named Fatima Ezzahra Mansouri as Morocco's head of government on Sept. 29, Foreign Policy reported. Mansouri becomes the first woman to hold the position in Morocco. Her appointment makes Morocco the second country in the Arab world, after Tunisia, to choose a woman to lead its executive branch. [1]

The appointment followed a national election held on Sept. 23, according to Foreign Policy. Public participation in the vote was exceptionally low, with an abstention rate of almost 62 percent. Foreign Policy reported that this was the highest abstention rate recorded in the country in nearly 20 years. [1]

Photos of Mansouri meeting with King Mohammed VI circulated globally after the announcement, Foreign Policy reported. Both leaders wore traditional outfits of the same light-blue shade during the meeting. Foreign Policy noted that her appointment generated excitement around an otherwise uneventful election that many Moroccans had largely ignored. [1]

Foreign Policy reported that Mansouri will hold limited power in her new position. However, the publication noted that her role carries significant importance beyond its symbolic value. [1]