Institutions

Fatima Zahra Mansouri, first woman to lead Moroccan government

29 September 2026·2 min read

King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as head of government, the first woman to lead Morocco's government. A lawyer educated in Rabat, Montpellier and Pace University, she served as mayor of Marrakech, MP, and minister of Urban Planning before this appointment.

King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Zahra Mansouri as Head of Government on Tuesday. She becomes the first woman to lead the Moroccan government, at the end of a journey spanning law, Marrakech and major public responsibilities.

A legal scholar trained in Morocco and abroad

Born on 3 January 1976 in Marrakech, Fatima Zahra Mansouri holds a bachelor's degree in private law from Mohammed V University in Rabat, a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in business contracts law from the University of Montpellier in France, and a certificate in Anglo-Saxon law from Pace University (USA).

A lawyer specialising in land and property law, she has been a member of the Marrakech Bar since 22 March 2005.

From Marrakech to government

Between 2009 and 2015, she chaired the Marrakech Municipal Council. She was a member of Parliament from 2011 to 2016, and again from 2016 to 2021. Until now, she held the post of Minister of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and City Policy (2021-2026).

International recognition

In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked her top of the 20 most influential young women in Africa, and she was named a Young Global Leader that same year. She is a member of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF).

For the diaspora, this journey between Marrakech, Rabat, Montpellier and Pace University (USA) shows that training acquired abroad can lead to the highest responsibilities in Morocco.

Photo: Le360.

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