Saudi king’s son Mohammed bin Salman is new crown prince

Saudi Arabia’s king has appointed his son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince – replacing his nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as fi rst in line to the throne. King Salman’s decree also means Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 31, will become deputy prime minister while continuing as defence minister. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, has been removed from his role as head of domestic security, state media say.

He has pledged allegiance to the new crown prince, his younger cousin. Saudi Arabia has typically been ruled by kings in their 70s or 80s. Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s rapid ascent is seen by the younger generation as a sign that things are changing. Before his latest promotion, he was responsible for leading Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, overseeing the kingdom’s energy policy and economic reform.

He must have already ruffl ed a lot of feathers in a royal family that was used to being presided over by a succession of elderly men, the BBC’s Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen reports. His father King Salman is 81 and reportedly not in the best of health, our correspondent adds. Prince Mohammed bin Salman could, potentially, lead Saudi Arabia for decades, heralding a long period of internal stability. However, the new crown prince is close to US President Donald Trump, and could

ratchet up pressure against Iran – which would raise tensions in the region. Reaction to the appointment of the new crown prince was largely (and unsurprisingly) celebratory, although Saudi Arabia’s regional rivals took the opportunity to criticise the kingdom. Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya TV ran blanket coverage and emphasised the positive eff ect the appointment had on the country’s stock exchange. Similar reports appeared in other friendly Arab states. But in Iran – Saudi Arabia’s bitter rival – several news outlets described the appointment as a “soft coup”.

Similar language was used by the ProQatari Huff Post Arabi, which called the appointment “a coup in the royal palace”. Syrian state media’s largely neutral report came with a considerable sting in the tail. Coverage ended with a reminder to viewers of a “tyrannical regime” which “lacks the most basic democratic principles” and “supports terrorism”. Jihadists on social media celebrated the reshuffl e, anticipating that the changes would pave the way for internal strife within the House of Saud and eventually bring about its downfall

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