Appointed on Friday, October 16, by King Mohammed VI, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri’s government combines political renewal with continuity, bringing together the parties in the governing majority and figures from the civil service and academia.
Morocco’s first woman to head the government, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri takes charge of a 32-member cabinet, including herself. The former minister of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning and Housing will coordinate an executive bringing together several prominent figures from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS).
The coalition brings the PAM closer to the three main parties that emerged from the Democratic Koutla, a historic alliance formed in 1992. It also marks the return of the USFP and PPS to government after they spent the previous parliamentary term in opposition.
PAM at the centre of the government
Identified party affiliations show the PAM as the dominant force, with 11 members, including the head of government. The party controls the Justice portfolio, entrusted to Abdellatif Ouahbi, as well as the expanded Youth, Culture and Sports portfolio, assigned to Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.
Fouzi Lekjaa, who joined the PAM last July, takes charge of Economy, Finance and Public Sector Performance. His combined responsibilities place him at the centre of decisions on public policy funding and the assessment of results.
The party is also represented by Azzeddine El Midaoui at Higher Education, Khalid Hatimy at Agriculture and Samir Belfkih at Territorial Planning, who will also serve as government spokesperson. Najwa Koukouss, Kouloub Faitah, Fatima Saadi and Salah-Eddine Abkari complete the party’s representation.
The Istiqlal Party has six identified members, led by Nizar Baraka, who is responsible for Equipment, Water and Forests. Ryad Mezzour heads a portfolio combining Industry, Trade, Investment and Economic Inclusion, while Abdessamad Kayouh retains responsibility for Transport and Logistics. Omar Hejira, Madiha Khayr and Abdeljabbar Errachidi hold junior ministerial positions.
Left-wing parties face expectations on social issues
The USFP has four representatives: Abderrahim Chahid at Employment and Social Dialogue; Ahmed Mehdi Mezouari at Maritime Fisheries; Kamal Hachoumi at Pre-school Education and the Fight Against School Dropout; and Aïcha Guellaa at Administrative Reform.
Chahid, a former president of the Socialist Group in the House of Representatives, moves from parliamentary criticism to leading a department directly exposed to public expectations on employment and labour relations.
The PPS, meanwhile, regains three government portfolios. Nabil Benabdallah, a former communications minister, takes charge of National Education, Pre-school Education, Vocational Training and Skills Development. His appointment places an experienced political figure at the head of a sector in which negotiating skills will be crucial.
Charafat Afailal, a former ministerial official responsible for water, returns to government to oversee Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development. Rachid Hamouni has been assigned responsibility for Social Inclusion.
These affiliations do not necessarily reflect the negotiated allocation of posts among the parties, as some individuals may have been nominated by a party without being members of it.
Institutional and scientific expertise
The retention of Abdelouafi Laftit at the Interior Ministry, Nasser Bourita at Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq at Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and Abdeltif Loudyi at the National Defence Administration marks the clearest sign of continuity.
Hassan Tariq’s appointment as Secretary-General of the Government brings a legal and academic background, as well as experience as the Kingdom’s Ombudsman. His previous role as a USFP member of parliament is not, in itself, sufficient to assign his current position to the party’s share of government posts.
At Health and Social Protection, Youns Bjijou brings a predominantly scientific and managerial background. A professor of anatomy, experimental surgery and microsurgery in Rabat, he has served as deputy director of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Science and Health and as permanent secretary of the African Academy of Health Sciences. No party affiliation could be confirmed at this stage.
Ahmed Rahhou, whose career spans banking, diplomacy and the presidency of the Competition Council, has been assigned Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Administrative Reform. Bringing these areas together could create an opportunity to link technological innovation with improvements in public services.
The cabinet includes seven women, accounting for nearly 22% of its members. Beyond the appointment of a woman as its head, the government will be judged on its ability to bring political leaders and technical experts together and turn its expanded areas of responsibility into tangible results in education, health and employment.
A “cohesive” majority, El Mansouri says
Following the appointment ceremony, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri said the government would work to draw up and implement an ambitious programme that responds to citizens’ expectations and the country’s major challenges, in line with King Mohammed VI’s guidance in his Throne Day and parliamentary opening speeches.
“This government is made up of a working group comprising four political parties that share similar ideological foundations and converging programmes, and with which we have worked in the past from different positions. Today, these parties form a cohesive majority with a unified vision and a common programme of action,” she told reporters.
Saying she was honoured by the Sovereign’s appointment of the government’s members, El Mansouri said the new executive brought together recognised experts while highlighting the representation of women and young people.
She added that the government programme would be presented to both chambers of parliament and would offer solutions to meet citizens’ aspirations. Its implementation, she said, would be guided by a sense of responsibility, through public policies designed to have a positive impact on society.
AK/Sf/lb/as/APA