Saudi gerontocracy clings to power

TEHRAN, Oct. 29 (MNA) -- The death of former Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud will have no serious effect on how the kingdom is run, according to many political analysts. Over the past two years, he had no actual grip on power because of his grave illness and the proposed successor, Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, was waiting in the wings. In fact, Nayef has already run the kingdom on a daily basis for extended periods of time in recent years, during the absences of King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, who both spent much time abroad for medical treatment. However, Sultan’s death caused some trouble for King Abdullah because rumors of internal disputes in the ruling House of Saud arose. Over 4000 Saudi princes are in the line of succession, but the septuagenarians and octogenarians are traditionally given the higher positions in the system. This complicated the situation for the king, and he decided to form the 30-member Saudi Allegiance Council, composed of male descendents of Abdul Aziz, which reduced the number of candidates for senior posts to 30 princes. This was an unprecedented innovation in the process of selecting a crown prince in Saudi Arabia, which caused a glimmer of hope that a younger and more progressive figure could become a rising star in the monarchy. The council was expected to approve the candidate selected by King Abdullah. But from the very beginning, some members of the council were said to be opposed to the appointment of Nayef. The longtime Saudi interior minister is a trusted friend of the king and was one of the key players in the recent crackdown on the popular protests in Saudi Arabia. He eventually became the new crown prince, but the dispute between high-ranking Saudi officials has not been resolved yet, and the popular protests, especially by Shia citizens in the Eastern Province, are continuing. Saudi Arabia is a country run by aging rulers who are ignoring the basic demands of citizens, who are seeking rights such as self-determination and freedom of speech and more respect for minorities. This is viewed as the driving factor behind the country’s institutionalized system of autocracy. Yet, in the wake of the new developments in the Arab world, many political analysts believed there was finally an opportunity for a younger figure to come to power. But this vision can only be realized if the members of the council are allowed to play a more active role in choosing the crown prince. However, the selection of Nayef once again proved that the world’s biggest oil producer has no intention to change.