Yesterday, Tuesday, the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz, issued a royal order appointing the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, as Prime Minister, and Khalid bin Salman as Minister of Defense.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the text of the royal order stated that the appointment of the Crown Prince as prime minister comes as an exception to the provision of Article (56) of the Basic Law of Governance.
Article 56 of the Basic Law of Governance in Saudi Arabia states that: The King is the Prime Minister, and members of the Council of Ministers assist him in performing his duties, in accordance with the provisions of this and other regulations. Coordination between them, as well as showing the conditions that must be met by ministers, their powers, the method of accountability, and all their affairs.
The royal order stipulated that the sessions of the Council of Ministers attended by the King of Saudi Arabia be chaired by him.
King Salman also decided to re-form the government, and the most prominent features of the cabinet reshuffle were, according to the agency:
Appointment of Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - a son of the King of Saudi Arabia - as Minister of Defense.
Appointment of the CEO of the Saudi SABIC Company, Yousef bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Bunyan, as Minister of Education.
King Salman also decided to appoint Talal bin Abdullah bin Turki Al-Otaibi as Assistant Minister of Defense.
