Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri facts for kids

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri is a Moroccan leader and legal expert. She is the prime minister–designate of Morocco. In history, she is the first woman in Morocco to hold this office. She belongs to the Authenticity and Modernity Party. People also call this group PAM. She worked as the mayor of Marrakesh. She served two separate times in that role. First, she led from 2009 to 2015. Later, she began serving again in 2021.

El Mansouri went to school in France to study the law. She joined PAM during the 2000s. In 2009, she earned a seat on the city council. That same year, fellow leaders chose her as mayor of Marrakesh. She later managed building projects for the country. She was the Minister of Housing under Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch. In September 2026, King Mohammed VI picked her to become prime minister. Her party won many seats during the 2026 general election.

Early Life and Growing Up in Marrakesh

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri was born on 3 January 1976. Her family has historical roots in the Rehamna province. Her father was Abderrahmane El Mansouri. He worked as the pasha, or deputy governor, of the city of Marrakesh. Later, he served as Morocco's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Her uncle was Colonel Abdallah Mansouri. Her grandfather was Ahmed Mansouri. He worked with local rulers like Pasha Thami El Glaoui long ago. She also connects by family to Fouad Ali El Himma. He helped create the Authenticity and Modernity Party. He was also a friend of King Mohammed VI.

Young Fatima grew up attending French schools in her home city of Marrakesh. She admired her father very much. She often watched him speak and present arguments during legal cases. These moments inspired her greatly. She traveled to France to attend the University of Montpellier. There, she studied hard and earned a degree in law. After finishing her studies, she returned home to practice law. She created her own legal firm. Her business helped people with real estate and business sales. Soon, she chose to enter local government. She served as a city counselor for the Authenticity and Modernity Party.

Political Career and Public Service

Serving as Mayor of Marrakesh

City council members in Morocco choose the mayor from their group. El Mansouri gained a council seat during the elections in 2009 [fr]. On 22 June 2009, council members voted for their new leader. She won the vote against the former mayor, Omar Jazouli. Jazouli belonged to the Constitutional Union party. The vote ended with 54 votes for her and 35 for Jazouli. At age 33, she became one of the youngest city leaders in Morocco.

A rival group called the Front of Democratic Forces filed a complaint about the vote. In July 2009, a local tribunal court cancelled the election result. Her party protested the decision with a strike. El Mansouri stayed calm and used the legal system. She appealed to a higher authority. In September 2009, the Administrative Court of Appeal judged that the election was completely fair. The leader of the rival group, Thami El Khyari [fr], praised her character. He explained that their complaint was about city rules, not about her. The higher court confirmed that she was the true mayor.

Her father passed away on the very evening of her 2009 election win. She remained determined to help her community. She promised to rule by good example. She gave her monthly salary of 5,500 dirhams to help municipal staff. That amount equals about 480 euros. A news magazine called Jeune Afrique wrote about her open leadership style. She held weekly open meetings with ordinary citizens. She listened directly to their problems. She worked to supply electricity and clean water to 20,000 homes in need. She also improved city finances. Marrakesh collected one-third more revenue in her first six months.

Local protests occurred across the region during the Arab spring. During this busy time, some politicians tried to stop her city work. She offered her resignation on 7 July 2011 to protest these actions. City leaders asked her to stay. She returned to work the very next day with promises of support. In April 2012, she defended her city against unfair words. Justice Minister Mustapha Ramid spoke negatively about Marrakesh. She wrote a public letter to protect her home town. She said leaders must always show respect and fairness. She completed her term until 2015. Voters supported her party again in the local elections of September 2021 [fr]. She became mayor of Marrakesh for a second time.

National Leadership Roles

El Mansouri served as a Member of Parliament starting in 2011. She represented the Medina-Sidi Youssef district for ten straight years. She spoke up for ordinary families in the national legislature. On 7 October 2021, the national government gave her a larger role. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch invited her to join the national cabinet. She served as the Minister of National Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy. In this office, she worked to build safe homes across the country.

Her political party needed a new leader in early 2024. Former leader Abdellatif Ouahbi stepped aside. On 10 February 2024, the members selected El Mansouri. She became the national coordinator of the party. She organized local branches and shared new plans for Morocco. She listened to voters across different towns. She led her party with strong teamwork.

Prime Minister of Morocco

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri led her team into the 2026 Moroccan general election. Many citizens liked her plans for jobs, schools, and city improvements. Her party gained great success and won a plurality of parliament seats. This was the largest share of votes in the whole country. The previous governing team stepped aside after their defeat.

On 29 September 2026, King Mohammed VI invited her to the Royal Palace. The monarch named her as the new Prime Minister of Morocco. This historic day marked a big step forward for Morocco. She is the first female prime minister in the country's long history. She began organizing her government team to build a better future for every citizen.

Personal Life

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri manages both public duties and family life. She was married to Choukri Berrada. They later divorced. She is the devoted mother of two children. She continues to reside and work between Rabat and Marrakesh.

Key Achievements

• First woman appointed as Prime Minister in Moroccan history.
• Elected twice as Mayor of Marrakesh, serving in 2009 and 2021.
• Led the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning starting in 2021.
• Chosen as national coordinator of the PAM party in February 2024.
• Managed successful legal and real estate services as an attorney.