Saudi removes its Crown Prince

Saudi Arabia has relieved Muhammad bin Nayef as Crown Prince, replacing him with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s son Mohammed bin Salman. Thirty-one-year-old bin Salman, who is now first in line to the throne, was also named Deputy Prime Minister. King Salman has called for a public pledging of allegiance to the new Crown Prince.The young prince was little known to Saudis and outsiders before Salman became king in January 2015, although he quickly rose to prominence when he emerged as the dominant voice in the OPEC production cut negotiations. He had previously been in charge of his father’s royal court when Salman was the crown prince. The Saudi monarch awarded his son expansive powers to the surprise of many within the royal family who are more senior and more experienced than Mohammed bin Salman.