First female mayor of Morocco's capital Rabat resigns

The mayor of Rabat, the first woman elected to the job, resigned on Wednesday amid criticism of her management of the Moroccan capital, she told AFP.

For months, Asmaa Rhlalou, 54, has been criticised by elected officials and municipal councillors for what they called "catastrophic" and "autocratic" management of the city, local media reported.

"I prefer to prioritise the interests of the city and its citizens in the face of the blockage that Rabat is experiencing," she said.

Rhlalou has sent her letter of resignation to the regional governor.

Some of the criticism of the mayor has centred on her use of municipal funds for recovery efforts in the Marrakesh region hit hard by an earthquake last year.

Rhlalou, a former journalist and a member of the National Rally of Independents party, which governs Morocco, was elected to a six-year term in September 2021.

Two other women, Nabila Rmili and Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, were elected mayors of Casablanca and Marrakesh, respectively, a first in the North African kingdom.