Alwaght- Amid uproar over the brutal assassination of dissent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, dozens of princes and cousins from powerful branches of the ruling Al Saud family, reportedly, seek to prevent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from ascending to throne.
The killing of Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the crown prince, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month has drawn global condemnation from the kingdom's key allies. The CIA has published a report in which it concluded the crown prince ordered the killing.
Reuters cited news agency cited three sources close to the Saudi royal court as saying that, many members of the kingdom's ruling family want to see a change in the line of succession but would not act while King Salman - the crown prince’s 82-year-old father - is still alive.
They recognize that the king is unlikely to turn against his favorite son, known in the West as MbS.
Rather, they are discussing the possibility with other family members that after the king’s death, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, 76, a younger full brother of King Salman and uncle of the crown prince, could take the throne, the news agency reported.
Prince Ahmed, King Salman’s only surviving full brother, would have the support of family members, the security apparatus and some Western powers, one of the Saudi sources said.
Prince Ahmed returned to Riyadh in October after 2-1/2 months abroad. During the trip, he appeared to criticize the Saudi leadership while responding to protesters outside a London residence chanting for the downfall of the Al Saud dynasty. He was one of only three people on the Allegiance Council, made up of the ruling family’s senior members, who opposed MbS becoming crown prince in 2017, two Saudi sources said at the time.
The House of Saud is made up of hundreds of princes. Unlike typical monarchies, there is no automatic succession from father to eldest son. Instead the kingdom’s tribal traditions dictate that the king and senior family members from each branch select the heir they consider fittest to lead.
