Saudi King’s Surprise Shakeup Clears Son’s Path to the Throne
- Prince Mohammed becomes next in line to rule the kingdom
- Replaces long-time counter-terror head Muhammad bin Nayef
Saudi Arabia's Shake-Up
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The abrupt shake-up that made Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman heir to his father’s throne gives the 31-year-old extraordinary powers to push through his vision to wean the economy off oil and exert his influence in regional conflicts.
Prince Mohammed replaced his elder cousin as crown prince, removing any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81. Even before the promotion, the new crown prince was dictating defense and oil policy, including overseeing plans to privatize state oil giant Aramco.