Asma Chaabi (born 1962 in

Kenitra Kenitra ( ar, القُنَيْطَرَة, , , ; ber, ⵇⵏⵉⵟⵔⴰ, Qniṭra; french: Kénitra) is a city in north western Morocco, formerly known as Port Lyautey from 1932 to 1956. It is a port on the Sebou river, has a population in 201 ...

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

) is a Moroccan

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. A member of the Party of Progress and Socialism, she is the first woman ever elected mayor of an urban center in Morocco. She was mayor of the city of

Essaouira Essaouira ( ; ar, الصويرة, aṣ-Ṣawīra; shi, ⵜⴰⵚⵚⵓⵔⵜ, Taṣṣort, formerly ''Amegdul''), known until the 1960s as Mogador, is a port city in the western Moroccan region of Marakesh-Safi, on the Atlantic coast. It ha ...

from 2003 to 2009. When she stepped down, Mrs. Chaabi said she would leave politics. However, in 2016 she became a member of the national parliament. Morocco continues to have among the lowest female representation in politics in north Africa. She is the daughter of businessman Miloud Chaabi, the president and founder of Ynna Holding, a diversified conglomerate centered on construction and infrastructure work. Asmaa Chaabi graduated from the

University of Westminster The University of Westminster is a public university, public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first Polytechnic (United Kingdom), polytechnic to open in London. The Polyte ...

in London in 1985. As well as being a politician, a businesswoman, and a feminist, Mrs. Chaabi is also an accomplished artist and a philanthropist.

References

1962 births Living people Mayors of places in Morocco Women mayors of places in Morocco Party of Progress and Socialism politicians Alumni of the University of Westminster People from Kenitra English people of Moroccan descent {{Morocco-politician-stub