The Moroccan Monarch, King Mohammed VI, today, Friday (October 16, 2026), appointed members of the new Moroccan government headed by Fatima Zahraa Al-Mansouri, in a formation that includes 32 members, including 11 delegated ministers, and combines continuity and renewal, with a number of former officials retaining their portfolios, and officials in charge of sovereign sectors continuing in their positions.
A statement from the Royal Court stated that King Mohammed VI received at the Royal Palace in Rabat the appointed Prime Minister and members of the new government team, where they took the oath in the hands of the King.
The first statements after the announcement of the government formation
Al Mansouri said in a statement following the appointment ceremony that the government program, which will be presented to Parliament to gain confidence, “will contain important solutions capable of achieving the aspirations and expectations of male and female citizens.”
For his part, Minister of Land Preparation and Construction, Samir Belfakih, the official spokesman for the government, told Agence France-Presse that it “places the dignity of citizens, social justice, and fairness between regions at the heart of its priorities.” He added, "Reducing disparities and enhancing rights and freedoms represent the basis of this commitment."
The new formation includes, in addition to the Prime Minister, the Ministers of the Interior, Abdel Wafi Laftit, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Residing Abroad, Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Justice, Abdellatif Wehbe, the Endowments and Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Al-Tawfiq, the Secretary-General of the Government, Hassan Tariq, the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Public Efficiency, Fawzi Lakjaa, and the Minister of Equipment, Water, and Forests, Nizar Baraka.
It also includes Nabil Benabdellah at the head of the Ministry of National Education, Primary Education, Vocational Training and Qualification, Younes Bejigou as Minister of Health and Social Protection, Khaled Hatimi as Minister of Agriculture, Marine Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, Riad Mazour as Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Economic Inclusion, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd as Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports, and Azzedine Meddaoui as Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation.
The government also includes Abdel Samad Qiuh, Minister of Transport and Logistics, Sharafat Afilal, Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, Abderrahim Shahid, Minister of Employment and Social Dialogue, Samir Balfqih, Minister of National Territorial Preparation, Construction, Housing, City Policy and the official spokesman for the government, Ahmed Rahou, Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation and Administration Reform, Jalal Sharaf, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Solidarity Economy, and Najwa Kokos, Minister of Family, Social Development and Equality.
At the level of delegated ministers, Abdel Latif Loudiyi retained responsibility for the administration of national defense, while other responsibilities were assigned to Qalub Fittah in relations with Parliament and civil society, Omar Hujaira in foreign trade, Ahmed Mahdi Al-Mazouari in marine fishing, Kamal Al-Hashoumi in primary education and combating school dropout, Madiha Khair in vocational training and rehabilitation, Fatima Al-Saadi in housing and city policy, Salah Al-Din Ibrahim in youth, and Rachid Hamouni in integration. Social Studies, Aisha Klaa in Administrative Reform, and Abdul-Jabbar Al-Rashidi in Traditional Industry and Solidarity Economy.
Continuation of names from the previous government
Comparing the names with the previous government formation reveals the continuation of a number of faces, including Laftit, Bourita, Wahbi, Al-Tawfiq, Lekjaa, Baraka, Mazour, Bensaid, Al-Madawi, Qiuh, and Loudiyi, in addition to Al-Mansouri, who was in charge of the portfolio of national territorial preparation, reconstruction, housing, and city policy. Omar Hujaira also moved from the Secretary of State in charge of foreign trade to the position of Minister Delegate in charge of the same sector.
Taking into account these names, the number of those returning from the previous government is about 13 members out of 32, or approximately 41% of the total new formation, with the nature of the responsibilities and portfolios that some of them assume differing. This reflects a mixture of continuity and change, rather than a complete break with the previous government team.
The number of women in ministerial positions raises questions
Comments about the government's composition began to come in. Some Moroccans stressed the number of women in a government headed by a woman, noting that only 6 ministerial positions for women seem questionable to them.
At the level of distributing political responsibilities, the Authenticity and Modernity and Istiqlal parties have a presence in important economic sectors, including equipment and water, in addition to responsibilities in foreign trade, while the Socialist Union and Progress and Socialism parties are primarily responsible for social sectors. On the other hand, a number of officials in the sovereign sectors remain prominent, especially the interior, foreign affairs, endowments, and the National Defense Administration.
A number of Moroccan journalists commented on the issue of the disappearance of the communications sector from the ministry responsible for it, which made some of them wonder to which sector journalists became affiliated, given the sector was not mentioned in the nomenclature of all ministries.
These appointments come after the legislative elections that took place on September 23, which were led by the Authenticity and Modernity Party, before Al-Mansouri was assigned to form the government on the 29th of last month.
The new government is awaiting economic and social files, including employment, purchasing power, and public services, in addition to preparations related to organizing the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
DPA/AFP
