Boualem Benhamouda

Boualem Benhamouda
Secretary-General of the FLN
In office
January 19, 1996 – September 19, 2001
Preceded byAbdelhamid Mehri
Succeeded byAli Benflis
Minister of Finance of Algeria
In office
January 12, 1982 – February 18, 1986
Preceded byM'hamed Yala
Succeeded byAbdelaziz Khellef
Minister of the Interior of Algeria
In office
July 15, 1980 – M'hamed Yala
Preceded byMohamed Ben Ahmed Abdelghani
Personal details
Born (1933-03-08) March 8, 1933
PartyFLN
Military service
Battles/warsAlgerian War

Boualem Benhamouda is an Algerian politician who served as Secretary General of the FLN from 1996 to 2001, Minister of Finance from 1982 to 1986, and Minister of the Interior from 1980 to 1982.

Biography

Benhamouda was born on March 8, 1933 in Cherchell, Algeria. As a young man, he was a member of the General Union of Algerian Muslim Students and participated in the 1956 strike before joining the FLN.[1] He studied law at the University of Algiers, but left to fight in the FLN where he was wounded in 1957.[1] He completed a doctorate in law in 1971.[1] Benhamouda became a member of the political bureau in Tlemcen after Algerian independence in 1962, and was elected to the People's National Assembly in September 1962.[1]

Between 1965 and 1986, Benhamouda held several ministerial positions, including Minister of Justice under Houari Boumédiène from 1970 to 1977.[2] In the middle of his term, he was replaced by Abdelmalek Benhabyles and appointed to be Minister of Public Works, where he served until 1979.[3] In 1980, he was appointed Minister of the Interior where he served until 1982.[4] From 1982 to 1986, Benhamouda served as the Minister of Finance.[5]

Benhamouda was elected Secretary-General of the FLN in 1996, just after the Algerian Civil War and the conflict with the FIS.[6] His predecessor, Abdelhamid Mehri, had been disowned from the old guard of the FLN for pursuing peaceful dialogue in Rome with the FIS.[6] Benhamouda, a representative of this old guard, was elected with 89 votes to Mouloud Hamrouche's 82.[7] Benhamouda was forced to resign in 2001 after the party base of the FLN called for change, and he praised his successor Ali Benflis.[8]

After retiring from politics, Benhamouda wrote books and dictionaries in French and Arabic, along with histories of the Algerian War and French influence in Algeria.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Boualem Benhamouda - Munzinger Biographie". www.munzinger.de. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  2. ^ "Biographie du président du conseil constitutionnel". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  3. ^ "Decrets, Arrets, Decisions et Circulaires" (PDF). JORAP. May 8, 1977. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  4. ^ "Journel Officiel de la Republique Algerienne" (PDF). JORAP. July 22, 1980. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  5. ^ "Boualem BENHAMOUDA | Ministère des finances". archive.wikiwix.com. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  6. ^ a b Universalis, Encyclopædia. "Algérie. Entrée de l'opposition légale au gouvernement. 5-18 janvier 1996 - Événement". Encyclopædia Universalis (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  7. ^ GARÇON, José. "Main basse du pouvoir algérien sur le FLNJugé trop critique, le chef de l'ancien parti unique a été évincé par un conservateur". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  8. ^ "Benflis succède à Benhamouda – Algeria-Watch". algeria-watch.org. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  9. ^ "Publication : Benhamouda écrit enfin sur la Révolution". El Watan via Wikiwix. July 25, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2025.