King Mohammed VI named Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri prime minister of Morocco on Tuesday, September 29, making her the first woman to lead the country's government and the third woman to hold the post in the Arab world.

El Mansouri, 50, was born in Marrakesh and studied law in France and the United States. She became mayor of Marrakesh in 2009 and most recently served as minister of national spatial planning.

Her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), won the most seats in last week's election, with 97 of 395. That is far short of the 198 needed for a majority, so she must now build a coalition. Some opposition parties, including the Justice and Development Party, have declined to join.

“For the first time in our country's history, a woman is taking on the responsibility of leading the government,” she said, calling the appointment truly historic.

One of her first tasks will be steering investment ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Portugal and Spain.