Morocco's PAM party forms governing coalition with three other parties

Morocco's election-winning Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) announced on Monday the formation of a governing coalition with three other parties.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI named PAM leader Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri prime minister and tasked her with forming a government on September 29, after her centrist party arrived first in last month's legislative elections. El Mansouri became the country's first female head of government.

El Mansouri said in a statement that she led two weeks of "extensive political consultations" with various political groups to form a majority.

The Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and the Party of Progress and Socialism agreed to join the coalition after two rounds of talks.

The four parties hold 207 seats in the House of representatives, nine more than required to have a majority.

The parties said they would provide candidates for ministerial offices in the coming days.

The new government will be expected to tackle unemployment and the cost-of-living, especially for young people, two themes that dominated the electoral campaign.