Syria Conducts First Cabinet Reshuffle Since Assad Ouster

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a cabinet reshuffle late on May 10, 2026, issuing presidential decrees that appointed Khaled Zaarour as Information Minister and Bassel Sweidan as Agriculture Minister, according to state news agency SANA. Hamza Mustafa, former Information Minister, has been reassigned to the Foreign Ministry.

The reshuffle included the replacement of provincial governors in Homs, al-Quneitra, and Deir Ezzor, the latter being home to most of Syria's oil fields. Sweidan, the new Agriculture Minister, also leads a committee negotiating settlements with business figures linked to the former Assad regime.

No official reasons were provided for the changes, though they follow months of protests and online campaigns criticizing economic deterioration and government performance. Sharaa also appointed a new secretary-general of the presidency, replacing his brother, a move previously criticized as nepotistic.

The reshuffle marks the first major government reorganization since Assad's ouster and occurs roughly halfway through the five-year transitional period outlined in Syria's constitutional declaration. The transitional government is expected to maintain stability ahead of scheduled political reforms and upcoming legislative reviews.