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Morocco Names First Female Prime Minister
Confirmed
In Short: Morocco's King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as the country's first female prime minister.
Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, a 50-year-old urban planning minister and mayor of Marrakesh, was named prime minister by Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Tuesday, the royal palace announced.
El Mansouri, who described her appointment as 'truly historic,' will form a new government following her party's victory in last week's parliamentary elections.
El Mansouri's appointment marks a significant milestone, making her the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world.
PAM, founded in 2008 by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close friend of the king, has expressed its willingness to work with all parties.
The new governing coalition will decide on billions of dollars in investments ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is set to host alongside Portugal and Spain.
Former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane, whose party lost the election, hailed the results as a 'victory' but ruled out joining a coalition led by PAM, which he accused of 'fraud,' without providing details.
The historic appointment comes as other royal figures face significant challenges, such as King Charles III, who may be drawn into Jamaica's fight for slavery reparations.
Jamaica's Culture Minister Olivia Grange is set to present a formal petition to King Charles, asking him to consider reparatory justice for the Caribbean nation.
Meanwhile, a replica of the historic Kirkdale sundial was unveiled by King Charles and President Emmanuel Macron at the British Museum's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.
The sundial replica, created by York Minster's craftspeople, highlights the blend of traditional skills and modern technology in preserving historic artifacts.
In London, Greene King Brewery has unveiled 'The Beer Tapestry' at one of its historic pubs, offering visitors an alternative to the crowded Bayeux Tapestry exhibition across the road.
What this adds
The details of the alleged fraud that Benkirane mentioned have not been substantiated by other sources.
What's confirmed
- El Mansouri said in a televised address her appointment was “truly historic”.
- Get the latest news and updates from Dawn The king of Morocco on Tuesday named Marrakesh mayor Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri the country’s first female prime minister, the royal cabinet announced, after her party won last week’s parliamentary elections.
- The royal cabinet said King Mohammed VI has now tasked the 50-year-old, who also served as housing minister, with “forming the new government”.
What's still developing
- The appointment came four days after the results of last week’s elections were announced, with El Mansouri’s monarchy-aligned Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) winning the most votes to secure 97 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, Morocco’s lower house of parliament.
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- The project showcases the unique capabilities of York Minster’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management, where traditional craft skills and modern conservation technologies work hand in hand to conserve, restore, and create historic monuments.
- The original carving was 3D-scanned by Luke Snell, Digital Surveyor, using laser imaging technology, which allows for an exceptionally accurate scan to be created without damaging the historic surface.
- Illustrating the origins and enduring cultural importance of one of Britain’s most iconic creations, beer, the tapestry hangs at the Museum Tavern on Great Russell Street, one of Greene King’s most historic pubs.
- As the Bayeux Tapestry is unveiled for the first time in England in nearly 1,000 years, a Georgia university is offering Americans the chance to view the U.S.'s only full-size replica of the historic embroidery.