Morocco's New Government: Continuity, But Facing Unprecedented Challenges

On October 16, King Mohammed VI of Morocco appointed a new government headed by Prime Minister Fatima Zohra Al Mansouri. It is the first time in Morocco's history that a woman has led the government, a precedent widely reported by international media.

In the Moroccan context, however, what matters is that Al Mansouri comes from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) — the party that won the most seats in September's parliamentary elections. PAM was founded by Ali Himma, a close associate and adviser to the king.

PAM, in coalition with three other parties, dominates the new government. This signals continuity rather than the potential for change.

A party tied to the monarchy

To understand the trajectory of the new government, one must look at how PAM evolved. The party was founded in 2008 to counter the rise of political Islam in Morocco, particularly the Justice and Development Party (PJD). The Arab Spring, with its widespread protests, changed Morocco's political landscape, opening space for forces such as the PJD and somewhat limiting the influence of the establishment (the Makhzen).

In 2011, Himma distanced himself from PAM and became an adviser to the king. Nevertheless, the party is still seen by other political groups as tied to the Makhzen. For years, PAM carried the stigma of its origins but still strove for acceptance. In the 2016 elections, the party challenged the PJD and won the second-highest number of votes, asserting its status as a legitimate political force, though not enough to lead the government.

It then reinvented itself by rejuvenating its ranks and accumulating experience through joining the government in 2021 as a coalition partner. In the most recent elections, PAM finally won.

That victory should be viewed with caution, however: 62% of eligible voters did not go to the polls. On election day, the authorities had to urge people to vote. Beyond the low turnout, there were doubts about fraud, but because some official electoral rolls were not published, observers and parties could not produce concrete evidence.

There was also the familiar phenomenon of influential figures being brought into the party at the last minute to boost its electoral prospects. For example, just two months before the election, Faouzi Laaqjea, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and a figure famous for the national team's football achievements, formally joined PAM.

To secure a parliamentary majority, the party had to ally with forces that had previously questioned its legitimacy. While PAM gained legitimacy through this coalition, other parties and their leaders may lose credibility.

The new government retains more than half the members of the previous one, not to mention the so-called sovereign ministries that fall under the king's direct authority. Some Moroccans have asked what the point of holding elections is if the same people are brought back to power.

Challenges ahead

The new government has an ambitious agenda aimed at responding to domestic pressure as the cost-of-living crisis mounts. At the first Council of Ministers meeting chaired by the king on October 17, the 2027 finance bill was presented, placing greater emphasis on addressing social issues, people's purchasing power and youth inclusion.

However, the program faces an unfavorable international economic and financial environment, with rising energy prices and higher input costs for some of Morocco's leading sectors, including phosphate production. The state-owned OCP Group, which handles the mining and industrial processing of phosphate derivatives — one of Morocco's main sources of wealth — is going through a difficult period.

There are also concerns about the potential impact of El Niño, which could bring drier weather and threaten food security in a country that has just endured seven consecutive years of drought. Tourism, another key source of revenue, could also be affected by a global tourism slowdown, higher transport costs and uncertainty from tensions in the Gulf and Europe.

The circumstances are therefore unfavorable for the new government, and public opinion appears broadly skeptical. Ultimately, the government will face an experienced and outspoken opposition, including the Islamist PJD and the radical left.

Even ministers holding sovereign portfolios face serious challenges. The foreign minister must deal with public opposition to normalization of relations with Israel. The interior minister must address allegations of election manipulation. The minister of religious affairs faces fallout from controversial remarks about Morocco being a secular state and about Ceuta (which Moroccans call Sebta) made during a religious ceremony, which Spanish authorities received with little goodwill.

The new government has an ambitious agenda, but its term will be shaped by difficult circumstances — at home and abroad — largely beyond its control.

The views in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.