The uncrowned king: Bin Salman increasingly taking the reins in Saudi Arabia
From greeting foreign leaders to heading regional summits, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking over the reins from his elderly father and becoming Saudi Arabia’s uncrowned king. While Prince Mohammed has been considered the de facto leader since his appointment as heir to the throne in June 2017, his growing prominence has never been more apparent than when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in early December and led the Gulf Cooperation Council summit on Tuesday.
He has overseen sweeping social changes, including allowing women to drive and work in the public sector, enabling citizens to enjoy the additional income and recreational outlets that opened up across the country. The Saudi authorities did not say why King Salman was not present at Tuesday’s summit, especially since he delivered a televised address on the country’s budget earlier in the week.
Source Credit: Times of Israel
