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Mohammed bin Salman becomes the new Crown Prince: Expected divisions in the family?
Global Village Space |
Stephen Kalin and William Maclean |
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was elevated to Crown Prince on Wednesday, replacing his cousin in a sudden announcement that confirms King Salman’s 31-year-old son as next ruler of the world’s leading oil exporter.
A royal decree said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a counter-terrorism chief admired in Washington for putting down an al Qaeda campaign of bombings in 2003-06, was relieved of all positions and replaced by Mohammed bin Salman who becomes deputy prime minister and retains defense, oil and other portfolios.
The king’s decision was aimed at setting the line of succession clearly to avoid a power struggle between his son and Mohammed bin Nayef.
The decision by King Salman to promote his son and consolidate his power was endorsed by 31 out of 34 members of the Allegiance Council, made up of senior members of the ruling Al Saud family, the royal decree said.
Read more: Saudi Prince rejects the notion of ties with Iran
Analysts said the change empowers Prince Mohammed bin Salman to move faster with his plan to reduce the kingdom’s reliance on oil, which includes the partial privatization of state oil company Aramco.
“The change is a huge boost to the economic reform program, Vision 2030 and the whole paradigm shift that Saudi Arabia is traversing and Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is its architect,” said John Sfakianakis, director of the Riyadh-based Gulf Research Center.
“It’s important that MbS see through his vision and strategy being implemented and sustained,” he said.
Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton, said the king’s decision was aimed at setting the line of succession clearly to avoid a power struggle between his son and Mohammed bin Nayef.
“It’s clearly a transition that has happened smoothly and bloodlessly… There’s going to be much more clarity on the issue of succession now. There was a bit of messiness before with everyone guessing what was going to happen. Now it’s clear, it’s straightforward. That kind of clarity lowers the risk, there’s no question as to who’s going to be in charge…”
Escalating regional tensions
“Some people were predicting that this would lead to a division in the family and strife and some kind of revolt. I don’t see that happening.”
A senior Saudi official said the decision was taken due to what he called special circumstances presented to the members of the Allegiance Council. He added that Mohammed bin Nayef supported the decision in a letter sent to the king.
Read more: Saudi Arabia inches towards modernity with Prince Mohammed’s Initiatives
That the royal succession in the world’s top oil exporter is closely scrutinized only makes the rapidity of Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power.
Although Mohammed bin Salman’s promotion was expected among close circles it came as a surprise at a time the kingdom is facing escalating tensions with Qatar and Iran and is locked in an air war in Yemen.
The decree said Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, long a favorite of Washington’s for his tough stance against Islamist militancy, is relieved of all positions.
Even as deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman has been responsible for running Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, dictating an energy policy with global implications, and spearheading plans for the kingdom to build an economic future after oil.
That the royal succession in the world’s top oil exporter is closely scrutinized only makes the rapidity of Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power, and the speed with which his better-known cousins have brushed aside, more astonishing.
The announcement follows 2-1/2 years of already major changes in Saudi Arabia, which stunned allies in 2015 by launching an air war in Yemen, cutting back on lavish subsidies and proposing in 2016 the partial privatization of state oil company Aramco.
Read full article:
Mohammed bin Salman becomes the new Crown Prince: Expected divisions in the family?
Global Village Space |
Stephen Kalin and William Maclean |
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was elevated to Crown Prince on Wednesday, replacing his cousin in a sudden announcement that confirms King Salman’s 31-year-old son as next ruler of the world’s leading oil exporter.
A royal decree said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a counter-terrorism chief admired in Washington for putting down an al Qaeda campaign of bombings in 2003-06, was relieved of all positions and replaced by Mohammed bin Salman who becomes deputy prime minister and retains defense, oil and other portfolios.
The king’s decision was aimed at setting the line of succession clearly to avoid a power struggle between his son and Mohammed bin Nayef.
The decision by King Salman to promote his son and consolidate his power was endorsed by 31 out of 34 members of the Allegiance Council, made up of senior members of the ruling Al Saud family, the royal decree said.
Read more: Saudi Prince rejects the notion of ties with Iran
Analysts said the change empowers Prince Mohammed bin Salman to move faster with his plan to reduce the kingdom’s reliance on oil, which includes the partial privatization of state oil company Aramco.
“The change is a huge boost to the economic reform program, Vision 2030 and the whole paradigm shift that Saudi Arabia is traversing and Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is its architect,” said John Sfakianakis, director of the Riyadh-based Gulf Research Center.
“It’s important that MbS see through his vision and strategy being implemented and sustained,” he said.
Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton, said the king’s decision was aimed at setting the line of succession clearly to avoid a power struggle between his son and Mohammed bin Nayef.
“It’s clearly a transition that has happened smoothly and bloodlessly… There’s going to be much more clarity on the issue of succession now. There was a bit of messiness before with everyone guessing what was going to happen. Now it’s clear, it’s straightforward. That kind of clarity lowers the risk, there’s no question as to who’s going to be in charge…”
Escalating regional tensions
“Some people were predicting that this would lead to a division in the family and strife and some kind of revolt. I don’t see that happening.”
A senior Saudi official said the decision was taken due to what he called special circumstances presented to the members of the Allegiance Council. He added that Mohammed bin Nayef supported the decision in a letter sent to the king.
Read more: Saudi Arabia inches towards modernity with Prince Mohammed’s Initiatives
That the royal succession in the world’s top oil exporter is closely scrutinized only makes the rapidity of Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power.
Although Mohammed bin Salman’s promotion was expected among close circles it came as a surprise at a time the kingdom is facing escalating tensions with Qatar and Iran and is locked in an air war in Yemen.
The decree said Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, long a favorite of Washington’s for his tough stance against Islamist militancy, is relieved of all positions.
Even as deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman has been responsible for running Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, dictating an energy policy with global implications, and spearheading plans for the kingdom to build an economic future after oil.
That the royal succession in the world’s top oil exporter is closely scrutinized only makes the rapidity of Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power, and the speed with which his better-known cousins have brushed aside, more astonishing.
The announcement follows 2-1/2 years of already major changes in Saudi Arabia, which stunned allies in 2015 by launching an air war in Yemen, cutting back on lavish subsidies and proposing in 2016 the partial privatization of state oil company Aramco.
Read full article:
Mohammed bin Salman becomes the new Crown Prince: Expected divisions in the family?
