The dramatic arrests of two leading Saudi royals followed discussions between the two men about using a procedural body, led by one of them, to block the accession to the throne of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, if the current monarch dies or becomes incapacitated. Prince Ahmed is believed to have been one of the three dissenters and has remained a critic of the young crown prince. Mohammed bin Salman, 33, has ruthlessly eliminated rivals from all levels of Saudi society in preparation for becoming king. By convention, the allegiance council must be headed by the eldest son of the kingdom’s founder, not including the crown prince, or king. It is composed of 28 members and it is not clear whether Prince Ahmed could assume the chairman’s role.

Source: The Guardian March 10, 2020 04:52 UTC