Alwaght- Ailing Saudi King Salman has left for holiday abroad after decreeing that crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef take charge of the kingdom’s affairs.
State news agency SPA said Thursday that Salman began his holiday abroad and left the state affairs to his nephew bin Nayef, whom he appointed in April 2015 as the first in line to the throne.
In April 2015 Salman appointed his 56-year-old nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as crown prince and made his young son, Mohammed bin Salman, second in line to rule, a major shift in power towards two princes who have overseen a more assertive stance at a time of regional turmoil.
Sources say Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and his relatives will be in Morocco between July 12 and August 12 to celebrate the wedding of his son. The wedding and related festivities in Tangier will span the summer month.
Moroccan King Mohamed VI is expected to attend the wedding ceremony in Tangier.
Last year, King Salman left the south of France, with an entourage of 1000 people, for Morocco, cutting short a planned three-week stay after a petition from some 150,000 residents over the closure of a public beach outside his villa.
The closure of the public beach for privacy and security reasons stirred up a local storm. The king's installation of an elevator from the beach to the villa, approved for temporary use by local government, also provoked anger among some residents who objected to allowing him this privilege.
The Saudi King is on a holiday abroad where he is expected to spend millions of dollars while Saudis had very low key Eid ul Fitr celebrations due to a plunge in oil prices and the impact of government austerity measures which have hit civil servants and other low income earners.
