Saudi Arabia has significantly reduced the powers of its absolute monarchy by quietly removing the king's authority to choose his own successor. This landmark constitutional reform, enacted by royal order last October but only disclosed this week, fundamentally changes the way the desert kingdom – which controls 25 per cent of the world's oil – is governed.| Not really, but it will give the Kremlinologists lots to do. |
| Until now, the interior minister, Prince Nayef, had been expected to become king after Sultan. This will almost certainly not happen. |
"What makes this change important is that, in addition to taking the final decision about who rules out of the king's hands and institutionalising it, it brings stability to the succession process," said Prince Turki al-Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador to London and Washington.
Disclosing the reform in a lecture at St Anthony's College, Oxford, Prince Turki added: "The council, which will be chaired by the oldest son of the kingdom's founder, will make decisions by majority vote on a secret ballot." Prince Turki said the monarchy had "opened the door for more participatory values in Saudi Arabia, in areas such as shared decision-making, and checks and balances".
All 21 surviving sons of King Abdul-Aziz, plus representatives of sons deceased or incapable, will sit on the council. Women are excluded from governance in Saudi Arabia.
The new selection process is expected to be used only after the current crown prince, Sultan, who has served as defence minister for almost 45 years, has become king. The reigning King Abdullah is probably 84 years old and Crown Prince Sultan is about 83, although their exact dates of birth are uncertain.
Until now, the interior minister, Prince Nayef, had been expected to become king after Sultan. This will almost certainly not happen. Prince Nayef, who is about 74, is a deeply conservative figure regarded as one of the principal obstacles to reform.
| And he's the reason for this: the other sons and princelings are afraid of what Nayef will do to them if he becomes Sultan. There'll be lots of 'drives into the desert'. |
King Abdullah established the new council by royal order on Oct 20 last year. Under the new system, Prince Turki himself, who was Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief before his ambassadorial appointments, is a credible candidate for crown prince. He resigned abruptly from his post as ambassador in Washington last year for unexplained reasons.
| And now we know why. |