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Commentary
Diwan

The Son Also Rises

Joseph Bahout analyzes Mohammed bin Salman’s appointment as crown prince of Saudi Arabia.

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By Michael Young
Published on Jun 21, 2017
Diwan

Blog

Diwan

Diwan, a blog from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Middle East Program and the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, draws on Carnegie scholars to provide insight into and analysis of the region. 

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Joseph Bahout is a visiting scholar in Carnegie’s Middle East program. In May he wrote a perceptive article for Diwan in which he discussed how a series of royal decrees issued at the time by King Salman appeared to pave the way for the rise of his son Mohammed bin Salman to the position of crown prince. On June 21, that is precisely what happened, when the king removed the previous crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, and named Mohammed bin Salman in his place.

While Mohammed bin Nayef’s removal must have been bitterly disappointing, the royal family put up a unified front, with the ousted prince pledging allegiance to his up-and-coming relative. Mohammed bin Salman’s elevation came in the midst of a flurry of other princely appointments, very likely to help the new crown prince consolidate his authority and maintain balance between the different branches of the royal family. To discuss all these issues, Diwan interviewed Bahout in Washington, D.C. on June 21.

About the Author

Michael Young

Editor, Diwan, Senior Editor, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Michael Young is the editor of Diwan and a senior editor at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.

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Editor, Diwan, Senior Editor, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
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Political ReformGulfSaudi ArabiaMiddle East

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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