Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • Eight injured after suspected terrorist attack in Sweden

  • Interpol raises alarm after China, South Africa seize large consignment of fake coronavirus vaccines

  • Rwanda govt turns to power tillers to help small farmers mechanize agriculture

  • Covax floods Africa with vaccines to curtail emerging resurgence of covid-19 virus

  • Covid-19: World Bank readies emergency vaccine fund for 30 African countries

News NowWorld
Home›News Now›Bin Salman and the end of Saudi’s consensus rule

Bin Salman and the end of Saudi’s consensus rule

By alternativeafrica
November 7, 2017
1218
0
Share:

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is risking political and regional instability by dismantling a decades-old system of consensus rule, analysts, including ex-top US intelligence officers, have told Al Jazeera.

Since replacing his cousin Mohammed bin Nayef in June as first in line to succeed King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the 32-year-old has embarked on a campaign to consolidate power, taking on rivals within the Saudi royal family and religious activists.

In September, Saudi police arrested dozens of religious figures, including Islamic preachers Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni, who remain behind bars.

However, the heir to the throne’s most ambitious move came late on Saturday when he fired senior ministers and had dozens of the country’s richest men detained, ostensibly on the grounds of combatting corruption.

They included his cousin and one of the world’s richest men, Alwaleed bin Talal; at least 11 other princes; four ministers; and several more ex-ministers.

Waleed al-Ibrahim, chairman of the Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), one of the region’s largest media companies, and construction magnate, Bakr Binladin of the Saudi Binladin group, were also detained.

Confusion also surrounds the whereabouts of Mohammed bin Salman’s predecessor as crown prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, who has not been seen publicly since June and is rumoured to be under house arrest.

‘One-man regime’

The targeting of Saudi Arabia’s long-standing elite represents a shift from family rule to a more authoritarian style of governance based around one man, according to Durham University academic Christopher Davidson. 

{articleGUID}

“Going after such ‘big fish’ is intended by MBS and his allies in Abu Dhabi as a signal of MBS’ newly-established sultanistic powers,” he said, using the widely-used acronym for Mohammed bin Salman and referring to his close ties to the leaders of the United Arab Emirates.

“By going after the richest, whether fellow princes or media moguls and construction magnates, MBS is demonstrating that nobody is outside his control, as he is now at the top of a more authoritarian, ‘one-man regime’, with the old consensus-based, dynastic monarchy of the past century having effectively collapsed at some point earlier this year.” 

Analysts said this week’s purge by Mohammed bin Salman could potentially alienate members of the wider Al Saud family at a time when the country struggles to balance its finances amid sustained low oil prices.

{articleGUID}

Bruce Riedel, a 30-year CIA veteran and director of the Brookings Intelligence Project, shared some of Davidson’s assessment, describing the mass arrests as “unprecedented”.

“Royal family politics are traditionally consensual with great emphasis on preserving decorum and honour, even for failed ministers,” he said, predicting that the breaking of the traditional Saudi consensus-based model of rule would lead to disorder within the country.

“There will be much discontent behind the scenes in the family, and the Kingdom is headed for instability.”

‘Perfect storm’

The breakdown of consensus rule could have wider implications both at home and abroad, particularly in terms of the Saudi relationship with its regional rival, Iran, according to former US intelligence operatives.

Since Mohammed bin Salman’s elevation to defence minister and deputy crown prince in 2015, and later to crown prince, Riyadh has taken on a more aggressive foreign policy stance towards Tehran.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia went to war against Houthi rebels in Yemen, believed to be backed by Iran. In early 2016, it announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Iran.

Amid rising regional tensions, Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday accused Iran of what could be “considered an act of war”, blaming Tehran for supplying the Houthi group with a missile that was fired towards Riyadh but was intercepted by Saudi air defence forces.

Iran has rejected the Saudi accusation as “malicious, irresponsible, destructive and provocative”.



 

Domestically, the crown prince has promised a raft of social and economic reforms, including a partial public share offering in Aramco, the state-owned oil company, and the end to a ban on women driving in the kingdom.

He also launched Vision 2030, a reform plan seeking to reduce the reliance of Saudi Arabia’s economy on oil and instead develop the country’s tourism, health and education sectors.

Robert Richer, former associate deputy director of operations of the CIA, told Al Jazeera the events of the past week marked a significant break with the traditional methods of decision making in the country. 




Can the Crown Prince change Saudi culture?

While praising the crown prince’s plan for modernisation, Richer, who was stationed in a number of Middle Eastern countries, said Mohammed bin Salman’s rise could contribute to an increased possibility of war with Iran, which he called “worrisome”.

Having consolidated power, and without moderating influences around him to temper Saudi foreign policy, the young prince could look to settle old scores with Iran once and for all, he argued.

“This is the perfect storm for [Mohammed] bin Salman, where you have Saudi Arabia, the US and Israel, which view Iran as the greatest threat in the region,” said Richer.

US President Donald Trump, who praised Mohammed bin Salman and his father in the wake of the recent wave of detentions, has repeatedly accused Iran of “supporting terrorism and exporting violence, bloodshed and chaos across the Middle East”.

‘World needs stable Saudi Arabia’

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have existed for decades, dating back to the 1979 Iranian revolution, which turned the former into an Islamic republic.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab states have accused the Iranians of wanting to overthrow their governments and export the revolution since.

Former CIA officer Bob Baer credited the Saudi royal family’s consensus-based approach to rule for preventing a war with Iran up until now, warning Mohammed bin Salman’s purge made the country’s future stability less certain.

“The Al Saud [ruling family of Saudi Arabia] have survived all these years, thanks to a remarkable and unbreakable consensus among their ranks and has avoided war with Iran,” said Baer.

“No one wants to see a war in the region especially given that Iran is not a small country, is an economic power, has its own clear identity and has the support of its population,” he added.

“The world needs a stable and predictable Saudi Arabia.”

Follow Ali Younes @Ali_reports and Shafik Mandhai @ShafikFM on Twitter

SHARE ON:
TagsBreakingNewsWorld
Previous Article

Rwanda President Paul Kagame receives the 2017 ...

Next Article

Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurs turn to livestock as collateral ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • News Now

    Gabon mourn former international Regis Manon

    January 2, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Ethnic Pride And Alcoholism: Why Black Alcoholics Are More Likely To Shame Their Families

    August 31, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    #AfricanGangs: Communities respond to negative label in Australia

    January 12, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    Critical moment beckons for Catalan separatists

    October 10, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    Mexicans march against femicide after teen’s murder

    September 18, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Kenya Supreme Court upholds Uhuru Kenyatta poll win

    November 20, 2017
    By alternativeafrica

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • News NowPolitics

    Madagascar: Pres. Hery Rajaonarimampianina confirms bid for second term

  • AfricaEnvironmentNews Now

    Kenya turns to earth observation technology to monitor forests

  • BusinessNews Now

    South Africa: MTN shares hit 2-week low on Nigeria dispute fears

Timeline

  • March 4, 2021

    Eight injured after suspected terrorist attack in Sweden

  • March 4, 2021

    Interpol raises alarm after China, South Africa seize large consignment of fake coronavirus vaccines

  • March 4, 2021

    Rwanda govt turns to power tillers to help small farmers mechanize agriculture

  • March 4, 2021

    Covax floods Africa with vaccines to curtail emerging resurgence of covid-19 virus

  • March 3, 2021

    Covid-19: World Bank readies emergency vaccine fund for 30 African countries

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Nigeria: 32,000 capacity Lagos rice mill to start production in 2020

    By alternativeafrica
    December 23, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack followed a ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Eight injured after suspected terrorist attack in Sweden

    By alternativeafrica
    March 4, 2021
  • Interpol raises alarm after China, South Africa seize large consignment of fake coronavirus vaccines

    By alternativeafrica
    March 4, 2021
  • Rwanda govt turns to power tillers to help small farmers mechanize agriculture

    By alternativeafrica
    March 4, 2021
  • Covax floods Africa with vaccines to curtail emerging resurgence of covid-19 virus

    By alternativeafrica
    March 4, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.