King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Morocco's first-ever Islamist prime minister and charged him with forming a government following his party's historic election win. Abdelilah Benkirane, head of the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), will now lead talks on forming a coalition cabinet, the palace said in a statement.
"He was appointed as the head of the government, in accordance with the new constitution, and will be responsible for forming the new government," the palace said in a statement. Benkirane took the oath of office after a brief meeting with the king, an AFP journalist witnessed, and was expected to start coalition talks shortly.