Saudi Arabia’s monarch, King Salman on Wednesday has reshuffled the line of succession by naming his 31-year old son Mohammed bin Salman as the crown prince and heir to the throne. The announcement will mean that Prince Mohammed bin Nayef will not inherit the throne and will be stripped of his title as crown prince.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman currently holds the post of defence minister and heads the economic council responsible for overhauling Saudi Arabia’s economy. The newly appointed crown prince will has also held the position of deputy prime minister. Prince Salman was instrumental in laying the foundation for President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, cementing the Sunni-ruled kingdom’s preeminent status in the Middle East.
31 of the 34 members of The Allegiance Council, a body comprised of the sons and prominent grandsons of the founder of the Saudi state, the late King Abdul-Aziz, voted in favour of the change in the line of succession. The council votes to pick the king and crown prince from amongst themselves.