RABAT — King Mohammed VI presided over the appointment of Morocco’s new government at the Royal Palace in Rabat on Friday, October 16, 2026. The cabinet is led by Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, the first woman to head a Moroccan government.
How the team is built
Reports describe a government of 32 members: the head of government, the secretary-general of the government, 19 ministers and 11 ministers delegate. Seven of them are women, including El Mansouri. Counts differ slightly between outlets depending on how posts are tallied, with the AFP referring to 31 portfolios.
Continuity at the top
Several heavyweights stay in place. Abdelouafi Laftit remains Interior Minister and Nasser Bourita keeps Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad. Abdellatif Ouahbi stays at Justice and Ahmed Toufiq at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. Hassan Tariq is secretary-general of the government.
The main promotion is Fouzi Lekjaa, who becomes Minister of Economy, Finance and Public Performance after serving as minister delegate for the budget since 2021. He joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) this summer and also chairs the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
- Equipment, Water and Forests: Nizar Baraka
- Education: Nabil Benabdallah
- Health and Social Protection: Youns Bjijou
- Industry, Commerce and Investment: Ryad Mezzour
- Agriculture and Fisheries: Khalid Hatimy
A first: a ministry for artificial intelligence
Ahmed Rahhou leads a portfolio that covers artificial intelligence, digital transformation and administrative reform. Moroccan and international outlets describe it as the first ministry in the country to carry AI in its remit.
The majority behind the government
The governing coalition brings together four parties: PAM, which won the September 23 legislative elections, the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS). The King named El Mansouri head of government on September 29, and the talks to assemble the majority took about two and a half weeks.
What comes next
The government must present its program to Parliament, though no date for that presentation or for a confidence vote had been announced at the time of writing. Economic coverage points to the 2027 budget, investment, jobs and social protection as the first files on the table.
Sources: Le360, Hespress FR, LesMRE, WebManagerCenter, AFP.
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