Economics
Then There Was One: Saudi Prince All Alone Near Summit of Power
- Mohammed bin Salman marks break from system of rule by council
- Heir to throne’s last royal peer was pushed aside last month
Saudi Prince's Elevation Ends Struggle for Power
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Saudi Arabia has never been a democracy but for several decades it’s been governed by a loose consensus among an extended royal family. Not, it seems, anymore.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, one step away from the throne, has emerged as the dominant figure in the desert kingdom. He controls almost all the levers of government, from the Defense Ministry to the central bank and the oil giant Aramco, which bankrolls the country. The 31-year-old has announced radical plans to sell state businesses, cut the public payroll and step up a regional power struggle against Iran.