Who Is Mohammad Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s New Crown Prince?

Mohammad bin Salman, who was the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, has been announced as the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Wednesday. He will succeed former crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, who also happens to be Prince Salman’s uncle.

The major reshuffle that took place via a surprise royal decree, saw Nayef, who was next in line for the King Salman’s throne, step down and be replaced by Prince Salman, the reigning king’s son, reported local news agency SPA.

Thirty-one out of 43 members of the Kingdom's Succession Committee chose Prince Salman as the crown prince during a meeting at Al Safa Palace in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during the early hours of Wednesday, Arab News reported. Prince Salman has previously served as the defense minister and chairman of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs of the kingdom. He will be retaining his post as the defense minister and will be also be serving as the deputy prime minister moving forward.

Read: Is Saudi Arabia Safe For Tourists? US Issues Travel Warning

Prince Salman, 37, had been in charge of his father’s royal court a number of times when he was the crown prince. Although not much was known about Prince Salman before his father came to power in 2015, the former’s rise to fame was swift and much-deserved, experts believe.

"They see in Mohammad bin Salman someone of their own generation moving up the ladder very quickly. He has a certain degree of popularity. He's also grated a lot of people in the family who see him as abrasive, inexperienced, undisciplined, impulsive," Bruce Riedel, director of the intelligence project at Brookings and former CIA national intelligence officer for the Middle East, told CNBC in 2016.

Prince Salman has been credited with developing the military and energy sector of Saudi Arabia in an attempt to build the kingdom’s economy beyond just oil industry. He has also vowed to rally against the falling oil prices that is affecting the kingdom’s economy.

Read: Trump's Saudi Arabia Visit Receives Criticism From President's Former Campaign Adviser Roger Stone

In March 2017, it was Prince Salman and not the-then crown Prince Nayef who met with President Donald Trump to discuss the fact that Iran was increasingly becoming a global threat.

He is also seen by the royal observers as ushering in a new generation of royalty in Saudi Arabia. In their eyes, Prince Salman is the perfect blend of new-age ideas and traditionalism as he still wears the traditional outfit of the kingdom and at the same time, has completed his education from Saudi-based institutions.

According to the Times Of India, the centralization of Prince Salman’s authority, even when he was the deputy crown prince, had reportedly angered many relatives of the royal family where respect for seniority and power-sharing among branches are some of the traditions that have been followed since the ancient times.

The promotion of the prince was approved by the kingdom's Allegiance Council. Following the announcement, the king was called in for a public pledging of loyalty to Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca.

The former crown prince was also relieved of his additional post as interior minister, which has instead been handed to Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif at present.