Surprise: King Salman of Saudi Arabia nominated his son Mohammad bin Salman as the new crown prince replacing him with heir-designate Muhammad bin Nayef - a move with profound implications for the monarchy and the Middle East's largest economy.
The news was released by the country's press agency. The new Saudi crown prince, 31, known by his initials MbS, has assumed more and more powers since his father became king and is seen as the architect of the Vision 2030 reform strategy with the country's attempt to overhaul the oil-dependent economy and implement a more muscular foreign policy.
As part of the changes, the current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the King's nephew, he is stripped of all his positions, including that of interior minister, the state news agency said while the new crown prince retains the role of defense minister and becomes deputy prime minister.
