Saudis are currently speculating about the royal succession with the recent deterioration of the health of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who was born in 1924. Despite mechanisms put in place to ensure the smooth succession of Crown Prince Salman after Abdullah’s death and Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin after the death of Salman, Saudis remain spectators watching the unfolding of a royal drama played by several aging contenders to the throne. In monarchies, the succession is often an uneventful affair as one king dies and another is appointed. In Saudi Arabia this time, the situation is more complex.
Saudi worries over the succession may not be so related to the old age of the king or the crown prince but are in fact a function of the lack of a long-term political reform agenda or structure that guarantees their participation, albeit partial, in the policies of their own country to ensure its durability and stability. Furthermore, the prospect of domestic turmoil with wars waging to the north and south makes most Saudis apprehensive despite the fact that there are so far no signs that such turmoil is about to reach the kingdom.
