“Contrary to what a member of the House of Councillors said about this case, I can tell you there was no confusion. Mr. Councilor, this was an act of courage! Courage, because suspicions emerged about a woman whose situation we had not been aware of in the government,” she said.
El Mansouri added that Khayr had been rehabilitated through the courts in 2019. However, she said that once documents and information brought concerns to light that could make it difficult for Khayr to manage public funds and safeguard the future of Moroccans, she decided to act.
“I took the decision and sought the approval of His Majesty, and His Majesty responded favorably within the shortest possible time,” she said.
Khayr was appointed on October 16, 2026, as minister delegate for vocational training and qualification in El Mansouri’s government. King Mohammed VI ended her appointment just two days later, following an official request from the head of government citing her judicial past.
El Mansouri reiterated that the decision reflected “courage, not confusion,” adding that her government would not tolerate any suspicion.
However, she also warned against interference, idle talk and unfounded rumors. Responding to allegations of conflicts of interest involving a minister active in the automotive industry, she questioned the connection between his business activities and his public office.
“On the contrary, I am proud of a minister who invests in his own country,” El Mansouri said. She argued that the situation would have been shameful had he received even a single dirham while serving as a minister, but said the financing in question dated back to 2017, before he took office.
At the time, she said, he was a young investor who had turned to bank financing, taken risks and established a business project. El Mansouri reiterated that her government would not accept suspicions against its members, but would also not tolerate attacks based on unfounded claims.
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Her remarks came as she presented and defended the government’s 2026–2031 program before the House of Councillors.
The program, which promises an average annual growth rate of 5pc and a budget deficit of 3pc of GDP by 2031, is due to be put to a confidence vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
