Moroccan Monarch Appoints Fatima Mansouri as First Female Prime Minister

Rabat, Sept 29 (KUNA) -- Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri, coordinator of the leadership council of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), as prime minister, entrusting her with forming the new government and making her the first woman to hold the post in Morocco’s history. The appointment follows her party’s victory in the legislative elections held on September 23. In a statement, the Ministry of the Palace, Protocol and Decorations said the appointment was made in accordance with Article 47 of the Constitution and based on the results of the legislative elections. The Authenticity and Modernity Party secured the final results of the legislative elections with 97 seats out of 395 in the House of Representatives, ahead of the National Rally of Independents, which won 66 seats, and the Independence Party, which obtained 65 seats. The appointed prime minister is expected to begin consultations with political parties represented in the House of Representatives to form the new government, with a view to presenting her program to parliament in accordance with constitutional procedures. (End) M.R.Y./H.M.F.