Three women to lead major Morocco cities

RABAT: Morocco’s capital Rabat elected a woman as mayor for the first time on Friday, meaning three of the kingdom’s main cities are led by women following elections earlier this month.

"It’s a historical day for the city of lights," Asmaa Rhlalou, 52, said after Rabat’s municipal council chose her as mayor of the city of 550,000 people. The vote follows nationwide parliamentary, regional and municipal polls on September 8.

Rhlalou’s party, the National Rally of Independents (RNI), thrashed long-ruling Islamists nationally to put its leader, businessman Aziz Akhannouch, in line to lead a new government.