“As informed by the chairman of the Allegiance Commission, we have named Prince Naif as the crown prince and we have decreed to appoint him as deputy prime minister and interior minister,” King Abdullah said in a statement late on Thursday. Earlier the king met with the commission’s chairman and members.
Political analysts said the commission has passed its first test by appointing the new crown prince quickly without any delay. King Abdullah introduced the new Succession Law to facilitate smooth transfer of power and remove any uncertainty in succession.
Under the law, which has been applauded by Saudis and expatriates as a significant political reform introduced by King Abdullah, a committee of senior princes would select future kings and crown princes. The 25-article law offers a new mechanism for declaring the reigning monarch or heir to the throne unfit to exercise their powers, temporarily or permanently.
The Commission comprises the sons and grandsons of King Abdul Aziz, the founder of the Kingdom and will be chaired by the oldest son of King Abdul Aziz. Prince Mishaal is the present chairman of the 35-member apex body.
“The invitation to pledge allegiance to the king and the selection of the crown prince will be made in accordance with the law of the Allegiance Commission,” the Royal Court said. Under the law, the commission will have a say in the appointment of a crown prince proposed by the king. If the commission rejects the nominated crown prince, it would vote to choose between the king’s candidate and its own for the position.
The appointment of the new crown prince must be done within 30 days of the accession of a new king, the law said. The commission will set up a transitory ruling council, which would take over the running of state affairs for a maximum period of one week if neither the king nor the crown prince were fit to rule the country.
The transitory ruling council will not have the power to dissolve or reshuffle the government or the Shoura Council or amend the Basic Law of Governance, the Council of Ministers Law, the National Security Council Law or any other laws that are linked to the rule. The council should also protect the state’s unity as well as its internal and external interests.
King Abdullah also set up a medical committee made up of five members, three of them doctors, to pronounce on the ability of the king or crown prince to continue his duties. The committee includes the supervisor of royal clinics, the medical director of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and three medical college deans.
“Once the commission is convinced that the king is not capable of carrying out his duties for health reasons, it would ask the medical committee to prepare a report on the king’s health condition. If the report proves that the king’s inability to exercise powers was of a temporary nature, the commission would certify that and the power would be temporarily transferred to the crown prince until the king recovers,” the law said.
If the king informs the commission’s chairman in writing that he has recovered and if the body is convinced about that, it will authorize the medical committee to prepare a report on the king’s health within 24 hours. “If the medical report proves that the king is capable of exercising his powers, the commission will certify that and then the king will resume his powers,” the law said.
“On the other hand, if the medical report proves that the king’s inability to exercise his powers was a permanent one, the commission has to certify that and invite the crown prince to take over as the king of the country after receiving pledges of allegiance and these procedures must be carried out in accordance with this law and the Basic Law of Governance and this should be done within 24 hours,” the law said.
“If the commission finds that both the king and the crown prince are not capable of exercising their powers for health reasons, it will ask the medical committee to prepare a report on the health conditions of the two, and if the report proves that their inability was a temporary one, the commission will certify that. In this situation, the transitory ruling council will take over administration of the state’s affairs and take care of the interests of the people until one of the two recovers,” the law said.
The commission is also given the power to select the best candidate for the top post from King Abdul Aziz’s sons and grandsons if the king and the crown prince die on the same day. The transitory ruling council will then take over administration of the state until a new king ascends the throne.
The Allegiance Commission will abide by the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah, preserve the state’s entity, and protect the Royal Family’s unity and cooperation, the national unity and interests of the people, the law said. In accordance with Article Six, the commission will call for pledging allegiance to the crown prince as the king of the country, following the death of the existing king. After receiving the pledge of allegiance, the king can nominate one or two or three to become the crown prince and the commission will select the best among them for the title.
King Abdullah, who issued a royal decree naming the new commission, urged its members to stand united, settling any differences by transparent dialogue and without allowing external forces to interfere in their private affairs. The members include Prince Abdul Rahman, Prince Miteb, Prince Talal, Prince Badr, Prince Turki, Prince Naif, Prince Fawaz, Prince Salman, Prince Mamdouh, Prince Abdul Ilah, Prince Sattam, Prince Ahmed, Prince Mashhour, Prince Hadhlool and Prince Muqrin.
