Brahim Merad Appointed Minister of Interior in Algerian Cabinet Reshuffle

Abdelmadjid Tebboune appointed Brahim Merad as Minister of State and Minister of the Interior and Local Communities on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, according to an official presidency statement reported by tsa-algerie.com. The decree restores Merad to the cabinet post he previously held for three years, while simultaneously stripping the interior ministry of its transport portfolio and reassigning his predecessor, Saïd Sayoud, exclusively to the Ministry of Transport.

Brahim Merad Returns to the Interior Portfolio

Brahim Merad returns to the interior ministry after serving as minister of state charged with the general inspection of state services and local authorities in the government of Sifi Ghrieb starting in September 2025, as detailed by tsa-algerie.com. He previously directed the department from September 9, 2022, to September 15, 2025. Algerie360 noted that his new appointment carries the elevated rank of minister of state, placing him near the top of the governmental hierarchy just behind the prime minister. The publication added that the interior portfolio sits at the center of administrative restructuring, following a wide-ranging reassignment of regional walis and regional secretaries general carried out in September 2025.

Saïd Sayoud Shifts to Dedicated Transport Sector

Saïd Sayoud relinquishes his oversight of domestic security to focus entirely on transport operations. In September 2025, President Tebboune had placed Sayoud at the head of a consolidated super-ministry combining the interior, local authorities, and transport sectors, stepping into a role he held concurrently with his transport duties dating back to November 2024. Algeria360 reported that the Tuesday decree breaks apart that administrative grouping by spinning transport back out into a standalone ministry. Sayoud now inherits heavy operational burdens in the transport sector, including railway modernization, port and airport infrastructure development, and fleet renewals.

Public Criticism Precedes the Ministerial Shuffling

The cabinet realignment follows public friction between the presidency and Saïd Sayoud over surging consumer costs. tsa-algerie.com reported that President Tebboune recently criticized Sayoud regarding the sharp price increases affecting tomatoes. The head of state publicly took issue with remarks in which Sayoud stated that in 60 years, he had never witnessed tomato prices reach 200 dinars per kilogram during the month of August. The presidential rebuke preceded the decision to partition the super-ministry and restore Merad to his former interior post.

Lounes Magramane Takes Over Presidential Cabinet

In a related administrative appointment announced alongside the ministerial changes, Lounes Magramane was designated as Director of Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, as reported by Algerie360. Magramane transitions to the presidential office after serving as the secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He succeeds Boualem Boualem, who died earlier in the month in Geneva following a long illness. The concurrent appointments reflect an ongoing pattern of targeted cabinet and administrative adjustments by President Tebboune rather than a comprehensive government overhaul.