Saudi Arabia: Aging Monarchy in a Time of Change

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz has died in a Geneva hospital. The death of Nayef, thought to be 79, came as no surprise, for he had been seriously ill for the past several years. Nayef was only named crown prince in October 2011, following the death of Prince Sultan. Now, King Abdullah must nominate a new heir for the second time in 9 months. The challenges facing the Kingdom require the transfer of the crown to a third generation prince who will keep the pace and direction of the necessary political and social reforms aimed at reconciling conservative Islamic traditions with the growing needs of a youthful population.