English
By Jez Jeuring, Analyst KEDISA
Mohammed bin Salman’s Rising Star
The 32-year-old Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, hereafter referred to as MBS, is causing furore on the domestic and international stage. The controversial Crown Prince lived in relative anonymity until his father Salman bin Abdulaziz was crowned King in 2015 at the age of 79.
The ascension to the throne of King Salman launched MBS’s career as one of the biggest players in Saudi politics. The King’s age and state of health incentivized Salman to elevate the position of his favorite son. Even though the King’s medical status is a strongly guarded secret, experts claim he suffers from pre-dementia. News outlets have even gone as far to claim that an abdication by King Salman in favor of MBS will only be a matter of months.