# Algerian political and administrative restructuring

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/algerian-political-and-administrative-restructuring
> Updated: 2026-09-01T15:57:13.000Z. Sources: 18. Developments: 2.

Following his re-election for a second mandate, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has implemented several administrative and political changes. In late August, the President signed decrees regarding the National Independent Authority for Elections (ANIE), terminating the interim presidency of Karim Khelfan and appointing Saad Arous, a lawyer and former Senate parliamentary group president, as the new head of the authority. The decrees did not specify a mandate duration or a timeline for upcoming communal elections. By early September, the administration underwent a partial cabinet reshuffle affecting the portfolios of Finance, Labor, Agriculture, and Communication. Key appointments include Mohamed Lamine Lebbou, formerly the Governor of the Bank of Algeria, as Minister of Finance, succeeding Abdelkrim Bouzred; Mohamed Hattab, previously the Mediator of the Republic, as Minister of Labor, Employment, and Social Security; Sid Ali Khaldi, a former Minister of Youth and Sports, as Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries; and the return of Mohamed Bouslimani as Minister of Communication. Additionally, Farid Kourtel has been named Minister of Industry, and Fouzia Naama has been appointed as a Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Interior. Parallel to these political shifts, the High Security Council met to address national security concerns, specifically targeting drug trafficking. The Council announced the creation of a specialized security agency dedicated to combating narcotics, modeled after international structures, and the conversion of an Army National People (ANP) barracks in the remote Tanezrouft desert into a high-security prison for major traffickers. The Council also reviewed investigations into recent wildfires in the east and center of the country conducted by the National Gendarmerie and National Security services, emphasizing that the death penalty will be applied to those found responsible for such crimes.

## Claims

- President Abdelmadjid Tebboune presided over a meeting of the High Security Council. (corroborated by 14 sources)
- A specialized security agency will be created to combat drug trafficking. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- An Army National People (ANP) barracks in Tanezrouft will be converted into a high-security prison for drug barons. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- The High Security Council discussed recent forest fires in the east and center of the country. (corroborated by 9 sources)
- Mohamed Lamine Lebbou was appointed Minister of Finance, replacing Abdelkrim Bouzred. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Mohamed Hattab was appointed Minister of Labor, Employment, and Social Security, replacing Abdelhak Saihi. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Sid Ali Khaldi was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries, replacing Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Council emphasized the application of the death penalty for those responsible for forest fires. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-01: Algeria announces cabinet reshuffle and new anti-drug security measures

Algeria's President Tebboune announced a cabinet reshuffle and new security measures, including a specialized anti-drug agency and a high-security prison in Tanezrouft for drug traffickers.

17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/algeria-president-tebboune-conducts-partial-cabinet-reshuffle

### 2026-08-24: Saad Arous appointed president of Algeria's ANIE

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has appointed lawyer Saad Arous as the new president of the National Independent Authority for Elections, replacing interim head Karim Khelfan.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saad-arous-appointed-president-of-algerias-anie

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Cite as: Algerian political and administrative restructuring. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/algerian-political-and-administrative-restructuring