The Saudi crown prince moves towards concentrating absolute power in his own hands, while escalating tensions on several fronts.
In the round of 'royal musical chairs' that played out two months ago, the Sudairi branch of the royal family consolidated its grip on power at the expense of those loyal to the late King Abdullah.
People should not expect drastic change in Saudi Arabia, as the regime's primary concern will be to maintain the status quo.
Recent Indonesian electoral politics offer significant lessons for other Muslim nations which are grappling with the often contentious transition towards a "post-Islamic" democratic form of governance.
Known as the ‘Sudairi Seven’ – a reference to their mother Hassa al-Sudairi – this segment of the Saudi dynasty has effectively controlled the kingdom since 1975, by occupying the most strategic government positions.
