Morocco names Fatima Zahra El Mansouri as first female prime minister

King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Zahra El Mansouri as the first female prime minister of Morocco, BBC News World reported. The appointment has prompted intense political and religious debate across the country concerning women in leadership roles. [1]

The appointment faced public opposition from traditional political figures, according to BBC News World. Mustafa Ramid, a former justice minister from an Islamist-led government, wrote a lengthy Facebook post questioning whether a woman should hold the highest political office in Morocco. He cited a religious saying that claims a nation entrusted to a woman will not succeed. [1]

Mustafa Ramid argued that the Muslim majority nation maintains a balance between gender equality and state leadership, BBC News World reported. He noted that the highest office in the country, the monarchy, remains reserved exclusively for men. Morocco operates as a constitutional monarchy. [1]

The prime minister position in Morocco was established in 1955, replacing the historic office of the Grand Vizier. Morocco gained independence from French and Spanish protectorates in March 1956. [2][3]