Wednesday, November 08, 2017

Inside Story: Is the Saudi Crown Prince a Reformist or Power-hungry?


The arrests in Saudi Arabia have spurred days of speculation and analysis. There was the element of surprise, the detentions took place on Saturday night and without warning.

The element of power – most of those arrested are men of influence. And an element of uncertainty, is this about purging corruption or consolidating power?

The man behind it all: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been a figure of controversy for months now. He is regarded as a progressive leader, touting social and economic reforms. But critics say MBS, as he's known, is also power-hungry. Over the course of two years, he went from being third in line to the throne, to first.

But what risks is the Crown Prince running? And can he meet the many challenges he faces both at home and in the region?

Presenter: Jane Dutton; Guests: Joseph Kechichian, Senior Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research & Islamic Studies; Andreas Krieg, Assistant Professor at the Defense Studies Department at King's College London; Nicholas Noe, Editor in Chief of MideastWire dot com



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